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I don't think there's anything missing, just fill that out if you want and leave a comment on here. Now on to the real fanfics (I have only really worked on FFVII ones, and since I pretty much worship Vincent he'll be in most/all of them, and I'm a sap for romance stories):

Rating: PG (For Language and Violence)

Hidden Memories
By: Kirk Stiers

Chapter 1

Vincent ran his hand coolly through his hair as he gazed at the setting sun. He had always had a slight fascination of the burning sky as it slid into thick darkness. Perhaps it was just his anticipation for that darkness that he studied the falling sun so often.
He sat in a tree above the camp, his lack of needed sleep quite helpful during camping rounds. The crackling of the campfire illuminated Vincent’s face mysteriously as the others slept on.
It had been several days after they had defeated Sephiroth, and the world lay in shambles and ruin. Though Holy had successfully prevented Meteor from completely annihilating the planet, several parts had broken through the atmosphere and collided with the planet. Not only that, but the after math of the Weapons and the reversal of the Lifestream from the battle in the Northern Crater had not helped things. The Highwind was inoperable, laying north of Bone Village in the outskirts of the enchanted forest, where it had finally given in to the extreme damage it had taken. Though many found this a nuisance, Vincent was silently glad to prolong his return; he had no clear path now that his mission had been completed.
Lucrecia, he thought to himself. Finally he had avenged her death and memory, wiping out Hojo, Jenova and Sephiroth. The only link to her left was…him.
Vincent glanced down from his perch to find Tifa and Red XIII asleep by the campfire, awaiting their turn to take watch. Of all his companions, he enjoyed their company the most, slight though that enjoyment might be. Tifa, an energetic, optimistic woman, was exactly the opposite of him in his current state, and Red XIII was quite knowledgeable, and shared interesting views and facts he had learned in his studies and stay in Shinra about Jenova that Vincent found most intriguing.
Vincent shifted his gaze again, carefully and masterfully avoiding her eyes. Though she was silent he knew her to be awake; her change in breathing had given her cover away.
"Are you awake, Vincent?"
Vincent sat quietly in his tree, his right arm propped up against his knee. He quietly nodded in response, not turning towards her.
"Should I take over? It’s getting dark already…" She looked at him, trying to study the lines of his face with the waning light of the campfire, but his expression was unreadable.
Vincent merely shook his head weakly, and Tifa sighed.
"You really should sleep some time, Vincent, even though you don’t need it quite as often, you don’t know what we’ll find now that Sephiroth is gone." She grew quiet as she waited for Vincent to respond. When he did not oblige, she sighed again heavily, continuing. "I’ve wanted to ask you since we defeated Hojo as the lab, Vincent. Where are you planning on going, now that everything is all said and done?"
This seemed to penetrate Vincent. He bowed his head slightly, his deep red eyes gazing at her. She always felt a chill run through her body when she met those eyes, but it was not a hostile or malevolent glare, just one that seemed to read her thoughts and see her soul. It unsettled her greatly.
"I…have not decided," he said hesitantly, careful for his choice of words. He turned away from her and stared at the stars, now glowing brilliantly above.
Tifa studied him for a second, then said softly, "You’re thinking of locking yourself back in that mansion, aren’t you?" Vincent closed his eyes and she smiled slightly. "Now that Meteor is destroyed, the world’s in no immediate danger. Mako production has been stopped, thanks to Reeve, and Shinra cannot oppress anyone anymore now that Rufus is gone…" She blinked for a second, realizing Vincent had moved from his perch and rested his back against the tree in front of her, his feet on the ground as he stared at the fire with his cold, empty eyes.
"Why don’t you come with us?" she asked suddenly, catching Vincent off-guard. He simply looked at her, an eyebrow arched up in confusion. "I meant come back with me and Cloud, help fix up Midgar a bit and maybe start a new life. You don’t have to lock yourself in that coffin again." She shuddered at the thought of his old resting place, a black morbid coffin that held him and his…powers in check.
Vincent shook his head weakly again, his eyes not leaving the fire. "I do not wish to be a burden any longer," he said after a moment of silence.
Tifa’s face contorted into frustration and anger, and she sat up, hands on her knees as she pouted. "But what else is there for you to do? I hate thinking some one like you would isolate himself…"
"Too late."
The impact of his simple and blunt words caught her for a second, and she opened her mouth stupidly, then closed it. Her expression softened a little and she relaxed. "Maybe not, it’s your choice to remain cold and alone. As when you joined us, it’s always been your choice if you wished to have friends or not."
Vincent sat quiet for a minute, as if contemplating something. Then he raised his left arm, a metallic, golden claw the reflected the dancing brilliance of the flames. "I am an ex-Turk, who has been turned into what you see before you: A demon. If there is no need for power, then I am but a walking corpse, surrounded in hatred and sorrow. A natural and reasonable prejudice engulfs me always, for I am…abnormal."
This was the most Vincent had ever said at once, and Tifa could make out the guilt and sadness in his eyes before he closed them, letting his left claw fall limp.
"You’re not a demon, Vincent," she mumbled, almost inaudible. However, Vincent could hear her perfectly. Under his cloak the corner of his mouth edged slightly into a smirk.
"Then what do you call Chaos? Hellmasker, Galian or Gigas?" Vincent retorted, and Tifa knew she spoke of his demon counterparts.
Vincent had long ago been conducted in experiments that Tifa had not understood completely, and never pushed the subject with this dark and mysterious ally. There was great evidence that he was different, but his ability to transform into four difference demonic entities was by far the most disturbing.
She could tell his transformations were painful and searing, but he must have used tremendous willpower not only to transform but to keep his demons under control. Her insides turned to ice as she thought of Vincent’s most powerful ego, Chaos, loose upon her and her comrades.
"You see?" he said, studying her face, clearly understanding the thoughts running through her mind as though they were said aloud. "Even among…friends, you must still be wary. I prefer desolation and isolation to pain and sorrow."
Now Tifa grew angry.
"So you’d rather hide than take a risk?" she whispered, her voice rising. "You are damn pathetic then, if you take the easy way out! Just look at Cloud, at Barret, at me! We’ve had things happen throughout lives, too! You don’t see us locking ourselves away!"
"How many of you can turn?" he asked simply, gazing distantly at his claw. This was an effective counter, and Tifa was silent.
"Vincent…"
Vincent stood up suddenly, his cloak wrapping around him as if it wished to embrace him. "Perhaps you should take watch. I must go for a walk." And with a swish of his cloak he vanished from his spot, disappearing into the thick and impending forest around them.
"Vincent…" she repeated softly, gazing at the spot where he had stood and sobbed silently. He keeps shielding himself from anyone to stop them from getting close. Why does he want to remain so hidden? Can’t he see he’s surrounded by friends that care for him?
She became buried in her thoughts, and a small voice spoke in the back of her mind. ‘Surrounded by friends?’ Tifa could hear the sneer in its voice.
Yes, by friends! He may scare us on occasions, but if you get to know him, he’s not a bad guy…
‘And how many people besides you think this? How many people have gotten to know him, hm?’
Tifa sat in silence as she wondered that herself. Surely Cloud, or Red XIII or even Yuffie had some connection with him.
But she couldn’t see any.
She tried anyhow. Vincent chats with Nanaki a lot. Nanaki, Red XIII’s real name, gave a small growl suddenly and rolled on his side, his tail resting on his nose. A strange and intelligent creature, a red lion-like being who’s tail tip was a burning flame. He talks all the time about different stuff…
‘No, just about things related to her…’ Tifa knew the voice meant Lucrecia, Vincent’s late wife who gave her life in an experiment, giving birth to the great and terrible Sephiroth and who’s blood became that of Jenova’s. ‘He is only concerned with learning more about those in his past, about more reasons to torment himself…’
Tifa could find no flaw in her subconscious reasoning, knowing it to be the truth. He still has me.
‘Exactly.’
This was such a bizarre reply that she did not know what to make of it. She pondered over it for a second, then stared at the flames hoping the logic would jump out at her. What are you saying?
‘Nothing.’
Tifa grew angry at herself, knowing she was missing something important her subconscious knew. Seething, she lay down and stared at the night sky, the stars shining bright above her.
"They look beautiful tonight."
Tifa turned slightly and saw Red XIII staring at the sky as well, following her gaze. He returned his eyes to Tifa and said, "Maybe I should take watch from here."
Tifa nodded silently, grateful that her feline friend had allowed her to focus more on her thoughts than her surroundings. She lay her head on her bag and curled inside her sleeping bag, closing her eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep as she questioned herself.

Chapter 2

 Tifa awoke the next morning and felt dew on her hair, to her great annoyance. She looked up and spotted Red XIII at once, standing guard so vigilantly during her slumber.
 She rubbed her eyes groggily and sat up, saying, "Thanks for keeping watch for me Red. You should have woke me up, you didn’t have to stay up all night for monsters."
 Red turned his head slightly, looking at her through the corner of his eyes. She was reminded forcefully of Vincent’s elusive mannerism. "It was not creatures I kept my eyes for," he replied, returning his gaze to the dark forest.
 Suddenly Tifa realized Vincent usual presence was missing, and she quickly looked around for him. "You mean he didn’t come back?" she asked, unable to keep the worry and anxiety from her voice.
 "No, not to my knowledge. Knowing Vincent’s behavior as I do, I would presume he has already left for his mansion, or where ever he has settled on to seal himself away for the rest of his immortal life." Red bowed his head slightly, and Tifa could tell he felt no better than her.
 "B..but…but we talked last night about how he should stay!" she sputtered. "How we all care for him, so that we would miss him if he left, and what to do with his life now…"
 Red looked at her, silencing her with his eerie stare. "Then I am convinced. It is probably your chat last night that drove him to remain in the shadows and leave us."
 Red could tell her confusing by the wrinkle of her brow as she gawked at him. "What…?"
 "You reminded him of, though he may never admit it, how much he cares for…us. He did not want his control of himself slip in yo…our presence. I can understand his concern, he has had much trauma in his life and this last battle has shaken his soul. He has no desire left to drive him, so resting to the hallucination of death seems to him as a fitting end."
Tifa stared at him for a second before the words seemed to register. She gave him a quizzical look and mumbled, "…hallucination?"
"Perhaps another time, if we ever cross paths with him again, he can tell you himself. As for now, I will not divulge the information of his past that I unknowingly gave him; I personally handed him the very tools of his torment and self-destruction." He looked crestfallen and stared at the ground in a mixture of guilt and remorse. "I had foolishly believed he had only desired knowledge of his existence."
Tifa stood up and walked to Red, patting his fur softly. "Don’t worry, Red. You’re not to blame, and neither is Vincent, as a matter of fact. He’s just had a lot happen to him, and you thought you were doing him a favor. In his eyes, you were. Nothing to worry about, all we have to do is find him and…"
Red XIII shook his head sadly. "Vincent is the most cunning being I have ever known. If he does not wish to be found he shall not be. At least, if he wishes to be found, it would not be coincidental. Vincent has let on enough for me to know he is ingenious at his game. I only can wait foolishly here for his return, if ever." Before Tifa could say anything, Cloud walked from his tent, followed by Cid, who sleepily scratched his head.
"You two are up early," he said, sitting down besides Tifa. Cid merely stood there, and looked around for a second.
"Vampire boy has left the building, hasn’t he?" said Cid unexpectedly.
Since when was he so observant? Especially as this hour…
Tifa’s thoughts were interrupted as Cloud asked her suddenly, "How long would it take to get to the village? You know," he added at her questioning expression. "Bone Village, the excavation place."
"Oh." She thought for a moment and did some small calculations, and said, "At our current pace, a day, at most."
Cloud stood in silence for a moment, then walked back to his tent, saying with his natural suave, "He’ll be back by noon."

Vincent’s shadow loomed out from the trees, his red eyes a giveaway at his identity. In his arms was a large bag of supplies and a small pouch of gil. He walked past a stunned Tifa and an expressionless Red XIII as he dropped the goods by a tree. Then, with a stupendous leap, jumped into the tree and landed gracefully on a sturdy branch, getting into his normal position: One foot dangling from the tree, swaying slightly while he rested one arm in his lap and the other on his knee, which was propped up close to his chest.
"Vincent!" cried Tifa from below. "Where have you been?"
Vincent gazed down at her for a moment, then turned away, his eyes closed. "We had almost no supplies. You all need to eat. I got some money from some creatures I fought and left for Bone Village to pick up provisions." Tifa continued her bewildered glare until Cloud walked out, and cried out in surprise.
"Vincent, you’re back!" Vincent made no acknowledgment Cloud had spoken, or even that he was there, but he simply shrugged and made his way to the bag, gazing in. "This should last us for a short time. We don’t have to rush to the pier yet. Enough for two and a half days, I’d say, if Yuffie didn’t eat it all up."
"I heard that!" cried Yuffie as she crawled out from her tent, her hair ruffled and her expression drowsy but she made her way to them all the same. "What’s all this chit-chat about? Are we going to get our asses moving and leave this stupid forest or not?"
Cloud smiled. "Yeah, let’s hurry and pack up, people. We can make it to the edge of the forest by nightfall if we keep pace."

Several months later, Tifa sat on the edge of the Costa del Sol dock, gazing distantly at the vast ocean. She had stormed off after her argument with Cloud, in which she had learned he could not have held the same feelings she had held for him, though her guilt for shouting at him built up in her all the same.
"Why do I have to be so weak?" she asked the air around her, her voice filled with sadness.
"If that is what you consider weakness, I envy you."
Tifa spun about and saw Vincent behind her, watching the ocean as she had moments ago. Somehow she always found him most talkative at sunset, though not by much more. "What do you mean?" she asked feebly. It had been the first time he had discussed him retaining feeling at all to her. She felt a joy inside her that Vincent considered her such a close friend, even if he only showed it in his subtle ways.
"To stand up to a love long lost, and to retain your dignity through it all…I only wish I could have had that determination in my youth."
Tifa raised an eyebrow in question, but he did not seem to take notice. To her, he seemed in his prime. Physically built, his senses at their peak, and quite attractive as well, in his mysterious way. She shook her head slightly and stood up.
"In your youth…?" she asked innocently, but Vincent knew she desired some long deserved answers.
Still, he was a reluctant bastard.
Sighing to himself, he walked up next to Tifa, his eyes not meeting her as he continued to watch the fading horizon. "I…am older than I appear to be." He raised his claw slowly, observed the metal, as if deep in thought. When he spoke, Tifa could tell he was choosing his words carefully. "I…am not quite…human. My aging is…different from yours. If I were to be figured in years from my birth I would be…" He sat there for a moment, counting. "…67"
Tifa almost fell off the dock into the ocean below her.
Swaying slightly, she straightened up and stared at Vincent in silence. This is the first time he’s ever really told me anything about himself. She felt important, acknowledged, and the joy inside her that she felt before arose, yet was instantly quenched by the look Vincent had in his eye. He’s studying me, she thought, seeing if he should say anymore.
She smiled slightly and tilted her head to the side. "That old, huh?" she asked playfully. Then her face grew serious. "How long did you sleep in that coffin, then? 10…20 years?"
Vincent turned away from her again, gazing off into the distance. "…40. I’ve been 27 years old for 40 years."
This stunned Tifa. She had no knowledge of his past, besides very little and vague details he sometimes explained, before growing quiet and grave again. However, he was answering her questions, which made her grow suspicious. Vincent would never share this much unless he had a plan, a reason to do so.
"Vincent?" she said solidly. Vincent noticed her sudden change in tone and glanced sideways at her, his expression unreadable as always.
"Hm?" he breathed.
"Why are you tell me this?" she asked bluntly. She knew better than to expect an answer, but she would be straight-forward, letting him see that she wished to know. "You hardly ever talked to anyone, except Red XIII, and even then it was you asking questions; you never talk about your past. Why are you telling me this now?"
Vincent stood in silence, the question seeming to unnerve him. However, she could gain no answer from his red, lifeless eyes. "Because you are deserving. You have never given up hope that I may be human, and though I believe that to be futile, I…admire it. I thought it was time to allow you some answers you long for." With that, he spun about and walked off into the distance, Tifa vaguely surprised and disappointed.
He told me he admired me for being…well, me! She thought to herself. We actually had a conversation where I didn’t do all the talking! For some reason, her heart seemed buoyant, and she fairly skipped all the way back to the inn, the salty air that so righteously annoyed her hung around her and clung to her, yet she could care less. She felt so happy!
‘But why do you feel so happy?’ said the small, nagging voice in her head.
Because I was able to have a deep conversation with Vincent! How many times does he open up to people?
‘Why would this make you happy? Shouldn’t you be worried about Cloud’s feelings right now?’
Who cares about Cloud?
‘Who cares about Vincent?’
I do!
She stopped right outside the inn, her hand still on the door handle. She had been so delighted about Vincent that she had not stopped to wonder why. She just assumed it was the way she was supposed to feel, without questioning herself.
She could hear the voice in the back of her head chuckling. ‘Finally admitting it, eh?’ It grew silent and Tifa was left to her own thoughts and questions.
"I…I love…Vincent…?" Saying it aloud seemed to taunt her, to surround her, as if even thinking it was a sin. She had never thought herself in love with any one but Cloud, but now that she stood rooted to the spot, all her thoughts on Vincent, she wondered if it were really true. "Is it really possible?" Suddenly, something occurred to her. Why did he talk to me so much? Red and I are the only people that really talked to him. Why does he talk to me and not Yuffie, or Cid, or Barret…
‘OK, you admitted it, but don’t get your hopes up, Tifa. Not just yet.’
There it was again. What do you mean? she asked angrily. Isn’t there a chance he may feel the same about me?
‘You said that about Cloud, too.’ The reasoning behind this shocked Tifa, and before she could allow the tears to fall she shook her head and wretched open the door.
Cloud was no where in sight, and neither was Barret and Yuffie, who had brought herself with them to Costa del Sol to pick a few more pockets and gain one more chance of robbing them of their materia. Of course, they kept their eyes on her, and she had no such luck, finally agreeing to return to Wutai when the three Avalanche members left for Junon.
She made her way to her room, whom she shared with Yuffie, who, sure enough, was fast asleep, strewn on her bed in her clothes, snoring slightly. Tifa couldn’t help but giggle at Yuffie’s odd sleeping position, her arms and legs dangling off the sides of her bed at different angles as she lay across the middle.
She threw herself on her own bed, too tired and deep in thought that she did not even change. Does he really care for me, or am I just a giddy little girl with a crush? She fell into a troubled slumber, and slept through the rest of the night, unaware of the red eyes watching over her from the window outside until sunrise, when they vanished from view.

__________________________________________________________________

"What do you mean ‘he’s gone’?!" Tifa fairly screamed as she inquired a scared Yuffie and a reproachful Cloud. Tifa had moments before come down for coffee to discover the group huddled at a table, discussing reasons why Vincent had left so suddenly. "You mean none of you know where he is?"
Cloud suddenly stood up, his face in anger and frustration, and, if possible, jealousy. "Why do you care so much about where Vincent is, Tifa?" he asked harshly.
Tifa was taken aback by Cloud’s usual tactlessness, but she could not think of how to reply. She gathered her composure and stared him in the eye. "Since when did you care," she shouted, imitating him, "about what I think?" Cloud looked as if he had been slapped in the face, and she knew thoughts of their argument yesterday were running fresh through his mind.
"Because you are my friend!" Tifa winced slightly at how he said ‘friend’, and she was certain that he would hold that against her for some time.
She put her hands on her hips, her lips pursued. "So you’re the only one that can be my friend? I can’t be friends with Vincent, or Barret, or Yuffie or any one else, is that right?" Cloud swelled up in anger and left, slamming the inn door as he strolled onto the streets of the city.
She sighed, sitting down besides Yuffie. "Sorry ‘bout that Yuff," she muttered. "It’s just Cloud has been on my nerves a lot lately."
Yuffie relaxed, but then narrowed her eyes at Tifa. "Why do you care about finding Vincent so much?" she asked shrewdly. Tifa threw up her hands in frustration and got up quickly to make her coffee.
I’ll just have to find him on my own, then, she thought angrily. If no one else wants to help me, fine, but I can’t lose someone like Vincent, he may have been passionless at times, but he did open up a little, and he was always a reassuring presence.
‘Anything else you want to add to that?’
Not now…Tifa locked herself away in the hotel room, refusing to speak to anyone but her roommate until their ship arrived. They silently made their way to the docks a few days later and bid Yuffie a morbid farewell as they boarded their ship to the other continent.
Tifa was staring out into the vast ocean around her, reminding her forcefully of Vincent’s old habit and pastime of thinking distantly. She did not notice as Cloud came next to her until he stood beside her, the scent she used to dream about now drove her to the brink of insanity.
He placed an arm around her and leaned his head onto hers, but she knew he only felt their relationship as that of a sibling watching his younger sister. She tried feebly to shrug off his arm, but he removed it on his own, knowing she felt resent and hatred toward him.
"Tifa…you’ve been acting very odd lately," he said slowly, his head still laying on hers as he traced her gaze to the waning sun. "You’re growing quiet and sulky, like…" His voice trailed off, yet Tifa knew he meant Vincent.
"Cloud…" she mumbled softly and quietly. He turned his gaze on her and she looked up with him, resent and sadness swimming in her eyes. "Please, I just want to think right now."
Cloud bowed his head slightly. "Oh." He made his way back inside, turning around slightly when he reached the door. "Tifa, remember…you have friends if you need to talk about…anything." He left without another word, to Tifa’s pleasure and grief.
"Why did you have to leave…?" she whispered into the wind, the calm ocean beneath her catching her tears as she leaned over the side, sobbing into her hands.

Chapter 3
 
 The sea voyage was uneventful without the ever so hyper Yuffie. Even Barret’s rowdy and harsh mood seemed to have been engulfed in dread and anticipation. Tifa had been mostly sleeping in her own cabin for the two day cruise, careful to avoid a stressful Cloud and a moody Barret. She gazed dreamily up at the ceiling, and the only thing that swam through her mind was Vincent.
 She had given great thought to their previous, and possibly last, conversation. She had wished to learn more about the mysterious and lonely man, but she suspected she would either have to return to Nibelheim, the earth-bound hell that held horrific memories for her, and confront Vincent in his slumbering coffin, or simply forget and live her life.
 She doubted she would get through the week.
 The quiet, nagging voice in the back of her mind seemed to whisper things into her mind, yet she could not make them out. She wanted to know what to do, what to say, how to live; but it was all in vain. No one would tell her how to live her life.
 I can’t go back to Nibelheim, after my father and friends, after Sephiroth destroyed it all…But how can I live on so empty like this? Vincent made me feel needed, responsible. Cloud makes me only his toy, his walking stick. What should I do?
 ‘What your heart says.’
 Such simple advice, but it bewildered her even more. Her heart was so tangled up in Cloud’s rejection and her undiscovered fancy to Vincent that she was in no condition to think.
 "I miss you…"

 A few weeks had passed, and Tifa was on her last frayed nerves. She had reopened a small bar in Kalm, and in tribute to Aeris, christened it ‘The Flower Haven’. She had to deal with many drunkards that wandered in late at night, but Barret’s occasionally visits had given the bar a pretty solid reputation that showed they had no tolerance for trouble.
 Tifa was leaning wearily on the bar counter; it had been a slow day. The dull, gray rain poured outside her window, casting an ominous and depressing shadow upon the pub. She sighed heavily and began to clean shot-glasses that lay unused that day on the display shelf, turning her back upon the entrance.
 She had not given Vincent much thought since her return to Junon, the port city where she, Cloud and Barret had gone their separate ways. Cloud now ironically worked for Shinra under Reeve, otherwise known to them as the infamous Cait Sith, as a military leader and one of the top Organization Leaders commanding it. Barret had taken Marlene with him to Midgar as well, and ran into Elmyra, Aeris’s foster mother.
 Though they repeatedly told her they had no romantic relationship, they lived together in Midgar and Corel, visiting back and forth when the other became dull and bleak. It appears Marlene had taken a liking to this motherly figure when she had been placed in her care long ago, and was happy to have her around, devoid of a mother herself.
 The bell above the door rang as it swung open, and Tifa turned around to find a customer walk up to one of the booths and slouch lazily into it. From her view, he was a man wearing all white and black, a large, silver cloak wrapped around his shoulders, and his long, rich, dark hair was held in a ponytail that hung down to the middle of his broad back. She was instantly reminded of an old adversary, but pushed that thought away from her. Besides, Sephiroth never had his silver hair tied into a ponytail.
 She walked up to him and saw he was reading a small, black, leather-bound book, and did not look up at her as she approached.
 "What’ll it be?" she asked in a false cheeriness, a pad in one hand and a pen in the other.
 The man continued reading for a moment before turning up to her, his blue eyes looking into her own. She noticed half his lower face was covered by a black scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. Sure feels like winter more now every day, she thought.
 "I’ll take a cold glass of water and a bowl of your special," he said stiffly.
 She wrote down his order and gave a small nod and a smile before turning back to the kitchen, where her chief, Jean, was lightly dozing off, arm propped against the counter as his head lay lazily in it.
 "Wake up, Jean, we have an order," she said loudly, ripping off the paper and placing it in front of him. He jumped with a started and a muttered apology that she shrugged off and turned to get a glass. Such a strange man…Why did he order just soup and water on a day like this?
 She shrugged and filled the glass with ice-cold water, slowly making her way from the back to discover the man had moved to the bar counter, idly looking at the shot-glasses lined up one next to another. He turned his head slightly as she walked behind the counter, sliding him his drink.
 "Interesting collection," he said softly, nodding his head toward the shelves. "I have never seen so many variants." He looked down and continued his read, though Tifa merely gawked at him for a second. He looked so much like Sephiroth, and sounded so familiar, too…
 "Miss? Where is my soup?" he asked suddenly, and she became away Jean had rung the order bell several times and was now shouting at her from the kitchen.
 "I’m so sorry," she muttered, rushing out with the steaming bowl. Of course, luck twisted against her and she slipped on the wet floor as she ran to the customer, dropping the bowl on the ground and falling on her back. She braced herself for the fall…
 …and it never came.
 The man had caught her before she fell onto broken shards of porcelain and burning chunks of soup, but when she gasped, it was not in horror at her mistake, it was surprise of the man’s arm.
 He had caught her back with his left arm, and the metallic claw was gleaming neatly, which had been hidden carefully in his cloak. Seeing no other way to save her, Vincent had lunged at her with his claw, catching her.
 "Vincent…!" she gasped in shock. "Bu…but, but why? What are you doing here?" She seemed as though she would faint any moment, as Vincent brought her to her feet. Jean had rushed out of the kitchen when he heard the crash, and shook his head slightly at the ruined dish as he went to fetch a dustpan and mop.
 "Hello to you as well. Can I not check up on my friend every now and then?" he asked, raising his eyebrow in question.
 She stuttered for a moment, breathed deeply, gathered her composure and replied shakily, "Why did you leave so suddenly? And why did you show up now?" She swayed slightly and she grasped the counter for her support.
 She suddenly felt Vincent’s guiding arm wrap around her as she led her to a booth, gently allowing her to slide in and watched in mild surprise as he sat across from her, his blue eyes now slowly shifting back to the blood-red. "I am here because I grew…worried about you. I had not hoped my departure would have been as devastating as it went."
 "Of course I was devastated, Vincent!" screamed Tifa, and Jean knocked the pail of water on the ground with his mop in surprise and cursed loudly. She ignored him and continued on. "Damnit Vincent, you just up and took off without a single good-bye, or even just a simple note…" She began to feel the tears travel down her flushed cheeks, adverting her eyes to the table. She jumped in fear and astonishment as Vincent wiped the tears from her cheeks.
He got up from his seat, flung off his silver cape to reveal his usual attire, and sat besides her. "I did not want to argue with you about my leaving. I felt that if I allowed myself to talk to you once more, then I would be compelled to see you through to your destination, and I would probably remain there as well." He shook his head sadly. "In the end, I removed myself from my coffin and became a wandering man, doing silent, yet benevolent deeds for those I met along my lone travels. However…" His voice trailed off and she turned toward him, staring into those dead, desolate eyes.
And she could bear her anguish no longer.
She threw herself into his chest, and she could feel him stiffen in surprise. She lightly pounded the bottom of her fists into his chest as she sobbed, gasping, "You bastard, do you realize how much we worried about you? How much I worried about you? Do you even care?" She slowly began to quiet her sobs, and Jean hastily and stealthily crept to the bar door, flipped the ‘Open’ sign over and left, quietly shutting the door.
She did not move from her position, and suddenly felt Vincent’s claw smooth her hair gently. The feeling sent shivers through her spine, and she grasped his black shirt in her fists as she pulled herself closer into him. "I missed you so much, I only had Cloud and Barret with me…"
"What do you think made me return? To check up on everything?" He looked down upon her, his deep eyes waiting for her response, but she smiled slightly into his chest, not looking up.
"You could have just said you missed me, too," she said jokingly.
"I missed you too, Tifa." She looked up in surprise, not realizing Vincent would take her jest seriously. Of course, she had hoped…
She gave him a genuine smile, one that crept up slowly and flashed into a sincere and loving smile, and her face seemed to glow. She rested her weary head into him again, sliding her head against his broad chest until she became comfortable. In a few silent moments, she fell into a dreamless sleep in Vincent’s arms.

Chapter 4

Vincent gazed down at the beautiful girl in his arms that had so willingly given herself to him. He had been mildly and pleasantly surprised that she had missed him, but was completely baffled why she seemed so shattered yet taken by him. What made her weep for him like she did? In the back of his mind, he could hear the chuckling of his demon counterparts, quietly relishing the scene of human display in front of them.
I mustn’t leave her in this tavern, people could ask odd questions if they saw her through the window with…me. He gently picked her up in his arms, and she sighed into his chest, breathing deeply in her sleep. A single strand of hair obscured her face, yet he found no flaw in her features. To him, she seemed perfect.
He made his way to the back and up the stairs after the kitchen, taking her to her small yet cozy home on the story above. He gently nudged open the unlocked door to reveal a finely decorated and furnished wooden room, complete with even a couch in front of the fireplace.
He gently laid her on the furniture and made his way to the small, tiled kitchen to prepare a cup of coffee. As he drank deeply from his saucer as he studied the house.
It was a standard home, with two room and one bathroom. It was cozy enough, and kept the warmth in and the cool air out. Two windows stood on either end of the fireplace, facing outward onto the damp street, and he could imagine the rays of light flooding the room in the timber house. He smiled slightly to himself and finished his drink, gently setting it down on the table in the small dining room connecting the kitchen and living room. He made his way slowly into the living room and looked at Tifa for a moment, his face blank but his mind racing.
Should I stay here or leave? If I leave, I should wake her up…but then she’d convince me to stay. If I did stay I might be tempted into doing something, and I don’t want to take advantage of her when she’s vulnerable in this depression. He turned to leave, quietly opening the door when he heard Tifa moan softly from behind him. He turned around slowly and saw her raise her head limply as she stretched, her drowsy eyes on Vincent.
"Where are you going?" she asked softly, getting up to lay on her stomach. "Are you leaving again?"
Vincent shook his head, keeping his face straight. "I…intended on staying and cleaning the bar slightly while you slept. My apologies if I woke you, I had thought better to allow you to sleep."
Tifa laughed slightly and made her way to Vincent and embraced him. "You’re too much of a gentleman. Does it make you uncomfortable being alone with me in my apartment?" she asked, lifting her head to stare into his red eyes.
"I thought it not…courteous to stay uninvited in a woman’s home."
Tifa gave another laugh and took him by his hand, guiding him to one of the back rooms. He did not try convincingly to escape her hold, and was privately enjoying the feel of her hand on his. She led him into a bedroom and closed the door silently behind her, and before he knew what had happened, she had thrown her arms around him and kissed him.
Their lips slid against each others as they carried their passionate kiss to the bed. They fell together in a crumpled heap, not giving thought to anything but each other. Vincent slowly relaxed his suddenly tensed body, and Tifa felt him finally succumb to her.
She broke the kiss and gazed at him lovingly for a few moments, breathing heavily. His eyes remained closed, and his breathing was not any lighter. "You’re invited to stay," she said playfully. "Come on, you can sleep here tonight."
Vincent’s eyes slowly opened and he looked at her meaningfully. "But Tifa," he started, not taking his eyes off her, "I already have a room at an inn…"
"Would you rather us stay in a hotel room together?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Vincent shook his head slightly, and tried again. "I don’t want to seem as if I am pressing you…"
"You’re not."
"…into something you might regret doing later," he finished, as if Tifa had not spoken. "I don’t want you to feel pressured…"
Tifa now suddenly grew angry, sitting up slightly. "Damnit Vincent! I just want to sleep with you! Can’t you just stop thinking for one night and stop making excuses? If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t mind either!" Her eyes held a terrifying look, and she contorted her face into the most intimidating one she could muster.
Vincent, however, appeared unaffected, unruffled. It seemed as though, for a moment, he would say something, but she was caught off guard as he pressed his lips against hers once more and wrapped his strong arms around her. She resisted feebly, savoring the taste of his lips and brought her arms around his neck, letting his hair down and brushing her hand through it. Vincent brought his hands underneath her shirt and massaged her bare back with his hands, his human hand rough yet gentle, and his metallic claw smooth and cool, sending chills pleasantly through her body.
When they broke apart at what seemed hours later, Tifa tried to look angry with him. It must not have been successful, for Vincent’s suave expression slipped into a small smile. "You cheated," she said, pouting. "You weren’t supposed to kiss me."
He caressed the line of her jaw with the tip of his claw. She moaned slightly and his smile became more apparent. "You welcomed it, though." He removed his claw from her and started to rub her back again. "However, though I must admit I, too, am relishing this, it seems as though we are moving too quickly, Tifa."
She smiled and said, "Oh, just shut up and kiss me again." He happily obliged, and when they finally split apart, she snuggled up against his broad chest, sighed happily and fell asleep.

Chapter 5
 
 Tifa awoke and longed to smell Vincent’s scent, but as she made to rub his broad chest she was met with pillows and bed sheets. She gave a cry of disappointment and shock and looked wildly around for a moment, hoping Vincent was still here. After searching her entire apartment, she could not find him, but she noticed the warm cup of coffee, the daily newspaper and a plate of eggs and bacon resting on the table.
 He must still be here! she thought happily. She walked downstairs to her bar and found Vincent, his sleeves rolled up and his cloak and steel-covered boots forgotten behind the bar as he scrubbed table after table with an apron wrapped around his waist. Jean was happily humming in the back as he made an assortment of drinks in preparation for today’s customers.
 "Vincent!" she cried out, running up to him and embracing him. She pulled back and looked up at him. "What are you doing? How come you’re up so early?"
 Vincent placed down the rag he carried in his claw and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and gently rocking back and forth. Tifa sighed and closed her eyes dreamily, resting her head on Vincent and wrapped her arms around his waist.
 "You still haven’t answered my question. Are you really that desperate to get away from me that you’ll clean tables?"
 Vincent chuckled, and she opened her eyes in surprise. Never before had she heard Vincent laugh, nor seen him grin, yet he did both clearly now. "As I told you before at our last encounter, there are many features about me that are…different." His eyes suddenly flickered back to his usual emptiness for a moment, and his smile faltered, but he recovered almost instantly. "I do not need sleep nearly as often as most people, so I decided that instead of just laying awake, I should do something helpful for you. Since you were going to need to eat something, I made you breakfast and came down here to find Jean already doing his job. He told me if I needed something to keep me busy I could kelp him spruce up the place a bit." He shrugged and lowered his forehead onto her head. "I’m not desperate to get away from you, I just wanted to help you."
 "Don’t you scare me like that again, Vincent! I thought you had gone off and left me again!" she cried angrily, trying to tell herself that she was annoyed when she was too busy enjoying how his hand was rubbing the back of her neck.
 "I apologize," he said lightly, and he stopped caressing her, turning back to continue to work.
She instantly felt guilty and embraced him from behind, pressing her face into his back. "I didn’t mean to get upset, Vincent," she explained. "It’s just I don’t want to lose something this meaningful to me again…"
 Vincent instantly registered she meant Cloud’s rejection, and he knew he could never follow the same path. I care about her as much as I did Lucrecia, maybe even more…
 Wow, Valentine is showing some emotion towards this unworthy, human girl. I am disappointed deeply, Valentine. Chaos’s deep growl rung through his head and he tried to shut out all his thoughts, turning around to hug Tifa and kiss her soft hair soothingly.
 "You won’t lose me," he whispered into her ear, his eyes closed. "Not until death do we part…" The vow of marriage seemed to faze her, and he was stunned he had said such a thing. Did I really just say that? he thought.
 Did he really just say that? Oh my god…! Tifa seemed to practically radiate with happiness and passionately kissed him, letting her hands glide under his shirt and smoothly stroke his back. He shivered in delight, but she could feel areas of skin that had been opened and cured several times, and she comprehended half of his back was covered in…
 "…scars?" she whispered aloud, timidly. Vincent’s eyes opened and she realized she had spoken aloud, and blushed. "I’m sorry, I just felt…"
 He visibly softened, and she could feel his claw brushing against her skin again. She shivered and moaned, clutching his back in pleasure and joy. She had been in so much of a hurry she had forgotten that she had no bra. However, this suited her fine, as she did not want it to disrupt Vincent from his activities.
 Jean was smiling slightly from the back as he brought a new bag of ice from the back and slammed it into the counter, looking up. "Yo, lovebirds, we gotta open in ten minutes! Let’s go! You can make out somewhere private later." He chuckled slightly and turned away, giving Tifa time to gain control over her face which had grown scarlet in embarrassment.
 "He…he’s r-right, Vincent…We should probably finished this somewhere more…private." Vincent’s smile merely grew more pronounced as he allowed his claw to smoothly and gently slide down her back, tickling her and throwing her into a state of ecstasy.
 "Private, hm?" The look in his eye told her he knew what she planned. Her reddened face glowed even more as she looked at her feet. "Very well, we should hurry and finish cleaning up."
 The rest of the time was uneventful, and business was slow for a while as they waited for the early morning fog to clear up. Of course, this fog didn’t stop their usual clients, so Tifa was preoccupied with customers while Vincent was aimlessly cleaning tables and plates, lounging behind the bar.
 I wish I didn’t have to work today, Tifa thought, as she smiled automatically at two men walking in from the waning fog. Then maybe Vincent and I…Her happy and pleasant thoughts were interrupted when she realized the men had stopped in their tracks, staring at her.
 "What the hell are you doing here?" Tifa and one of the men, a red-headed man with shades, cried at the same time. Vincent suddenly straightened up, grabbing his gun from behind the bar and sliding it into his holster, covering both it and his claw in his cloak. He recognized the man’s profile, but the suits had told him it all when they had walked in.
 Black shades, dark, navy suits and the air of superiority, these were the notorious Turks, though on a more personal level, known as Rude and Reno. Vincent’s eyes suddenly flickered back to emptiness, throwing on his mask. He silently strode to Tifa, his eyes on the startled Turks.
 "Vampy and Ms. Boobs in the same place?" cried Reno, almost falling in surprise. "Never thought I’d see the day…Now don’t point that thing at me!" he cried indignantly as Vincent drew his gun, the powerful Death Penalty, in a flash. Reno held up his hands carefree, still holding his nightstick. "We didn’t mean to cause trouble. Damn, didn’t know you were still even alive. We just wanted a mug of coffee, a few hours and a quiet place to talk. We are paying customers you know, so I would greatly appreciate it if you quit POINTING THE FUCKING GUN AT ME!" Reno shouted the last six words, and Vincent almost winced at Reno’s poor, but typical, mannerism. He spun about and strutted to an empty booth, followed by Rude, and they both threw themselves on either side, deep in conversation.
 Vincent lowered his gun cautiously, his eyes still on Reno, but raised it in an instant when Reno lifted his hand. "Look, I told you I’m not gonna jump you," he cried out. "Now can we please have a fuckin’ cup of fuckin’ coffee? Black, please, extra sugar, light on the cream," he added, turning back to Rude.
 "Such a strange pair," Vincent whispered so only Tifa could hear him. She giggled and spun on her heel, heading back toward a stunned and confused Jean with the order. Vincent slowly followed, careful of the Shinra lapdogs.
 The Turks had fallen in status since the death of almost every Shinra Corporate leader (besides the well known and well loved Cait Sith, a.k.a. Reeve) and had been less and less on the news as a result. Though they were mentioned somewhat, it was usually about either the disappearance or death of a member. It seemed as though the once feared mercenaries and hitmen of Shinra were falling rapidly.
 "Maybe they’re wondering what profession to venture into next…?" wondered Vincent aloud when he returned to his bar, his hands upon the counter as he thought silently to himself. Tifa strolled up to him, placing her hand on his.
 "Maybe. They don’t seem all that bad, they were just doing their job. We got in the way and they were forced to fight us."
 Vincent shook his head slightly. "Still, they had no right to do, if I am not mistaken, what they did in Midgar…" Vincent realized instantly that Tifa’s mood had shifted, though she tried her best to mask it. However, he could feel her hand turn cold and shiver slightly in memory. "I apologize, Tifa. I had not thought about what I said…"
Tifa gave a watery chuckle, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Don’t apologize, Vincent. You weren’t there, so you didn’t know…" Her voice trailed off and she flashed him a strained smile, but his ruby eyes stared at her. She sighed and said, "Don’t worry about it. If I have learned one thing from you, it is not to dwell on the past."
"How do you figure that?" Vincent asked curiously, knowing he was being led on, but played his part.
"Though I am greatly fascinated by your character," she stood straight and kissed him lightly. "I don’t want to end up a sulking goth, and I certainly like my eye color."
Vincent laughed sarcastically, pushing her away from him in mocking anger. She merely smiled, a genuine one, and rushed to the back to pick up an order. He sighed and resumed to cleaning the shot-glasses on the top shelf that Tifa could never reach. How she got them up there, I’ll never know, he thought to himself, and he could hear Chaos chuckling in the back of his mind.

"Reno, we have to get this one done, or else the Turks are history," stressed Rude, who helped himself to a packet of sugar that he dumped carefully into his coffee. "You should know how dangerous it is, you can’t be so lenient and carefree."
"Since when did you become so freaking talkative?" asked Reno, kicking his feet up onto the booth and resting against the wall. Rude simply frowned.
"Just be careful."
Reno turned to him, a toothpick protruding from his mouth as his sunglasses lay on his blazing hair. He grinned and propped his hands behind his head. "Aren’t I always?"

__________________________________________________________________

Tifa watched nervously as the Turks left, and she could not help feel it too much of a coincidence that they had happened upon this particular tavern amiss much competition. She glanced at Vincent as she grabbed the saucers they left on the table, and his expression told her he felt the same way.
Tifa was halfway back to the kitchen when the door flung open again and a shriek came from the doorway. Tifa cursed profusely when she had broken the dishes. She turned to the new customer and gasped in surprise when she saw none other than Yuffie Kisaragi, looking wild and pointing her thin, tanned finger at Tifa.
"I knew you and Vinnie were together!" she cried happily, jumping up and down with such enthusiasm that Vincent threw down his cleaning cloth (a lighter term for the rag he carried) turned his back on the door and shook his head and disbelief.
First I watch her die, then I get these things in me, now Yuffie shows up while I’m wearing an apron. God must really have it in for me…His humorous thoughts were interrupted by the door bell chiming again and he heard several feet shuffle in. He placed his temple in his hand. The entire group…? He does hate me.
Tifa was stunned as she watched member after member of the old party file into the modestly small bar. She then squealed in happiness and threw herself into Yuffie, embracing her like a long lost sister as they both jumped up and down excitedly. Cloud, who came in right after Yuffie, shook his head and smiled, turning toward the dark figure behind the counter.
"Vincent? Is that you?" he called, and Vincent ripped the apron from him, dropped it on the ground and turned toward Vincent, his face unreadable again. However, he was personally thankful he still retained his cloak from his earlier encounter with the Turks.
He nodded and made his way from the back, standing behind Tifa, who had brought herself back from the wild embrace. Cloud looked at Tifa, then at Vincent behind her, and obviously at a lose for words, merely scratched the side of his face in bewilderment. However, Cid was not so tactful.
"Holy shit Tifa! You dating Vampire boy?" he shouted. Vincent almost winced again by being called a ‘vampire’ for the second time that day. Cloud suddenly straightened up and Yuffie actually leaned closer, afraid she might not hear something. Tifa, however, merely blushed and looked down, smiling.
Vincent placed his hand on her shoulder and gave half a shrug, and she turned to him and hugged him. The others stood dumbstruck, and Tifa, flushed in the cheeks slightly, asked, "Does that answer your question?" Some roared with laughter, Barret the loudest of them, while Yuffie was being…well, Yuffie, goggling at them with her jaw on the ground. Cloud seemed unusually quiet and Red XIII exchanged a knowledgeable glance with Vincent, though Tifa pretended not to notice. "What do you all say to a few drinks? I want to hear why you all suddenly show up on my doorstep." They all looked at each other, and Tifa could see curiosity in their eyes, but they all shrugged and grinned, eager to accept Tifa on her hospitality.
Vincent, however, hung back as they made their way to the bar, merrily laughing. He kept his eyes focused on one spot, the edge of the glass that bore the name ‘The Flower Haven’, Vincent could make out the slightest edge of a dark navy suit. So it wasn’t just coincidence, he thought.
You going to let me kill them? chided Chaos. Or are you going to let them think they are superior?
Sometimes, the best way to come on top of a situation is to let your opponent believe they are. But be ready Chaos, I believe I shall be calling on you soon. He could feel Chaos’s anticipation, but he fully hoped that it would not resort to anything past his gun and claw.

Chapter 6

Reno held his breath for a moment believing Vampy had spotted him, but the next second he breathed in relief when he turned away. "Good, they’re all in there," he whispered, and Rude and Elena, who had joined them outside, nodded silently.
"Do you think this Vincent thing will screw everything up?" Elena asked, cocking her head to the side. Reno shook his head.
"Not sure, but we can’t fuck this up or we’ll lose everything" He turned to her. "Said he’d pay us any thing we wanted, but," he looked to Rude, who lowered his head so he could see his eyes over his shades. They flashed him a look of disapproval. "let’s just be careful, OK?" he finished, and Elena nodded, unaware of the glance they exchanged.
"Right," she said. "Now how do you intend we get her?"

__________________________________________________________________

"So, what brings you all to Kalm?" Tifa asked excited, as she turned to fill Yuffie’s glass with hesitation.
"God dammit, Tifa!" cried Yuffie. "I’m old enough to drink!" She swiped the bottle from her and filled her glass heatedly, thrusting the beer back at Tifa.
Tifa put her hands on her hips and, hopefully, an irritated expression on her face. "And exactly how old are you now, Yuffie?" she asked, as Vincent reached forward to take the bottle.
Yuffie raised her glass, her face glowing. "Eighteen! Cheers!" she downed the drink in one gulp, and Cid and Barret roared with laughter, lifting their own mugs and drinking simultaneously. Tifa shook her head and said, "That’s still underage, Yuffie! We’re not in Wutai anymore!"
"Thank god!" she cried, causing the others to laugh as she eagerly reached forward to retrieve more from Vincent. He gazed at Tifa uncertainly, waiting for her response.. She sighed and smiled, and the group cheered as she took the alcohol from Vincent and poured them all drink.
"So, without any more interruptions, what are you all doing here?" She turned to Cloud, and met his eyes though she knew she shouldn’t. She could feel the familiar sting in her eyes but before the tears could start, she felt Vincent grasp her hand, and she smiled inwardly. I’m glad Vincent’s here, she thought.
Cloud’s eyes turned away and he shifted uncomfortably. "Actually, Tifa…" He turned toward the others, who wore similar expressions on their face. All except Yuffie, who eager kept drinking, and said, "We came because we got an invitation from you to come down here."
Tifa turned her head to Vincent in confusion, and he shook his head. "Not my doing." Tifa looked back at Cloud.
"We didn’t send an invitation."
"Then who…?"
Cloud was interrupted as the glass shattered, and they all threw themselves behind the bar or on the ground. Elena stood in front of the bar, a gun in her hand as she fired round after round, breaking bottles and destroying the bar. Jean ducked quickly into the kitchen, and they could hear the clutter of pots and pans as he tried moving low to safety.
"What the fuck?!" cried Cid, and he stood up with his spear, cigarette falling from his mouth. "You blondie bitch, you just wasted gallons of good beer. You asshole!" He charged Elena with remarkable speed, but was caught off-guard as Rude flew from atop, swinging from above and kicking Cid in the chest.
He flew back and landed in a heap on a table, collapsing under the force of Cid’s moving body. "Cid!" shouted Cloud, and he stood up, extending his arm. Suddenly the room filled with small, glowing spheres, and Rude and Elena stood back to back, looking around uncertainly.
"Damnit, I hate this one!" shrieked Elena, as Flare activated and showered them in a massive field of flame.
"Cloud, be careful!" warned Tifa, standing up. "You’ll burn the bar!"
Cloud turned to her for a moment, his Mako eyes reflecting the blaze and she gasped in reminiscence as he turned away. It had been the first time she had truly taken in the color of his eye since their argument. But…Vincent…! Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt an arm wrap around her waist.
At first she thought it Vincent, and tried to gently push him off, but when it forcefully tugged her backwards, she turned about wildly to find her face inches from Reno, a sly grin on his face.
She screamed and attempted to attack, but she suddenly became drowsy, and he held up a green materia. Damn Sleep…she thought before she collapsed in his arms.
Vincent had looked up when his acute hearing had heard the screamed over the sound of the bar collapsing and the crackling of the fire. He immediately withdrew his gun, pointing it at Reno, but when he lifted his electric nightstick menacingly close to her head, he lowered his weapon. I can’t risk hurting her, he thought.
Then let me at him.
You wouldn’t do any better, Chaos. None of you would. He’d have killed her before you reached him. Don’t forget, he’s a Turk, too, and regardless of his false clumsiness he has the instincts passed on with our training. Chaos and his alternative demons growled in defeat, and he sheathed his gun.
Reno smiled and suddenly jumped back, taking the unconscious Tifa with him. Vincent gave him one second, then leapt up and followed them, his cloak flying behind him. They’ll have taken her through the back door, and use the alleyways and roof as a way to maintain secrecy if they don’t use a car. I doubt they would, they know I’m faster than that. Vincent’s old mannerism came back, his eyes flashing into their dullness as he practically flew through the door. Sure enough, he could hear Reno’s footfalls heading toward the alleyways, not the streets.
He took off, making sure to keep his distance, as not to jeopardize Tifa’s safety. What did they want with her? he asked himself silently. He was met with silence, but he pondered answers in his head. He suddenly realized the footsteps had stopped, leaving Vincent in utter silence. Damn! He knows I’m following him. I guess I have to…
Vincent stood still, straightening himself. His put one arm on his shoulder and gracefully removed his cloak with one swing of his frail-looking arm. He suddenly clenched his fists and crouched slightly as he felt his body tear open. He dropped to one knee, his gauntlet crushing the ground beneath it as he watched the metal claw turn into a purple forearm, ending in black, razor sharp ends. He felt his incisors grown into fangs painfully, and he felt as if two swords were stabbing through his head as his vision slowly blurred and changed.
He was no longer human, if he ever was. His vision was animal-like, as was his instincts, but his control over Galian mingled the power of the beast with the intelligence of a trained killer; a deadly and devastating combination.
He raised his nose to the air, taking in a light breath. He instantly caught Tifa’s faint perfume and her heavy aroma, but could not detect Reno’s.
The bastard knew I would come out, he covered his scent quickly, Galian realized. He snarled slightly, and took in a deeper breath. But he can’t hide hers. He leapt into the air, bounding against a stone wall in the alleyway. He dug his claws in deep and was suspended sideways, his red mane swaying slightly. He shot from the wall with amazing speed toward another alleyway. Galian heard the sounds of rapid and frantic feet pounding against the ground as Reno ran, and he sneered in satisfaction. Here I come, pretty boy.

Chapter 7

Cloud stared at the spot where Elena and Rude had been engulfed in the flame, his eyes narrowed. Tifa had tried to say something, but he had paid no attention; he was in a battle right now, and the Turks were not the easiest of foes. He lowered his arm, the materia in his armor gleaming majestically in the passionate flames as they danced and consumed the once modest tavern.
Suddenly the inferno parted in one spot, where the Turks stood, Elena with her arms crossed and Rude with his hands in his pocket. "Damnit!" cried Cloud, reaching around to grab his enormous sword he inherited from Zach. He moved with amazing speed for a human, and much more astounding with that huge sword, but when he swung Rude simply crouched down and avoided it. He leapt up from the spot, his uppercut connecting with Cloud’s jaw, and he fell backwards onto the table near a sore Cid.
"Damnit all! Mother-fuckin’ jackasses think they can come waltzing in here and tear the place up! I’ll teach ya!" Cid struggled to his feet, then held up his hand, two materia placed in between his fingers. He struck out with his hand holding the two orbs and suddenly the entire room started to tremble. "Take this, ya lowlife bastards!"
Suddenly the air seemed to warp around the room, and one by one, comets flew from all directions from seemingly no where. Elena and Rude managed to destroy the first two or three, but were soon bombarded with the meteorites.
Cloud coughed as the dust settled, waving his hand to part the dust. "Damn, Cid, I didn’t know you still had Comet on you." Cid merely grinned, but it falter when they saw Elena and Rude weakly stand get on their feet. "They don’t know when to quit."
Suddenly Cloud whole body seemed to glow, and his grip tightened on his sword, the Ultima Weapon. "Omnislash!" He lunged at the two with unrivaled speed, slashing several times with blurring speed.
He slid eloquently and dramatically a few feet from where the Turks had landed, thrown up by the sheer power of his attack., his sword out at his side to complete the pose. He grinned and shouldered his blade, turning his head slightly to the defeated enemies, and his eyes grew in surprise.
The Turks were slowly on their feet yet again, and Cloud knew that something was wrong. He turned to them, his sword gleaming in the remaining flames as he pointed it toward the two. "How are you two still up? That attack took out Emerald, it should have had no problem with you."
Elena chuckled, and Rude smiled slightly. Elena withdrew a materia from her armband, and Rude drew one from his pocket. It wasn’t the usual green, magical materia, or any other identifiable one, for that matter; it was a bright and spectacular white.
Cloud stood dumbfounded, and he wasn’t the only one; the entire team stood still, curiosity, realization and several other expressions dotted across their face. "Is that…?"
Elena laughed triumphantly, placing the materia back into her armband as Rude pocketed his again. "According to our sources, this is the materialized materia ‘Holy’, submerged into the Lifestream for who knows how long. It increases our materia by ten fold, so there’s almost no way you can beat us. Even as we’re talking, Regen cures all our wounds in a matter of seconds, and Shield makes us practically invulnerable to your weak attacks."
"Still, you shouldn’t be able to stand after that attack…"
Rude stepped forward. "Not before, but now our client knew about your attacks, and sent us this…" He opened his navy suit, revealing a dark armor hidden underneath it. "He said it would take most of the damage from any of your limit breaks except the demon’s. Still…" He rubbed his chest slightly. "If that was a little of your power, I am glad our client knew what he was doing."
Yuffie hopped over the counter while Barret charged after her. "Who the fuck is this ‘client’?" demanded Yuffie, her hand on her shuriken. "And what do you mean ‘everyone’s limit except the demon’s’? Who the hell…" Suddenly she stopped, and turned around madly for Vincent. "Where the fuck…?"
Elena laughed coldly. "We turned his little crush with Lockheart into our advantage. Reno grabbed the girl so Vincent would follow while we distracted everyone." She threw her head up and laughed again.
Rude gave Elena a disgruntled look then turned to the Avalanche members, smirking. "Yes, now let’s finish this battle, we have a little something for you." He drew out one hand and lifted it into the air, and suddenly the ground shook as a large, green creature burst through the ground. "This is a little summon that our client gave us. I was surprised it could be sealed within a materia, but I will let you be the first victims of it."
Cloud gasped as he stared up at the new summon, and Yuffie screamed. In front of them stood the giant creature Emerald Weapon. "Now Emerald," commanded Rude, stepping forward. "Show them Air Tame Ultima!" Emerald lifted it’s head upwards obediently and suddenly the room turned green, shrouding their visions from anything else.
Cloud instantly felt his body seize up, and felt himself drop to one knee. His arms burned and he suddenly dropped his sword, the hilt around it too hot to grasp. He gasped for air, as he fell to all fours, sweat running down his forehead. He could feel Emerald killing him from the inside out, and no materia he had would be much help against a Weapon contained in concentrated form for long. He bared his teeth, and suddenly felt the weight lift off him, and he felt completely drained of his power.
He looked up weakly to find Elena sneering over his body, covered in cold sweat and blood running from the corner of his mouth. "This was the guy who beat us bad and saved the world?" she asked mockingly, kicking him in the stomach as she folded her arms. "Ha, don’t make me laugh." He rolled onto his back, his eyelids growing heavy as he started to succumb to fatigue.
"Wouldn’t think of it," Cloud grunted through clenched teeth. He suddenly threw his arm up, and cried, "Full Cure!" He felt his muscles relax, his fatigue lift and his pain abolish. Elena cried out in shock as he leapt up and punched her straight in the jaw, sending her into the ceiling. She fell back with a loud thud and moaned, struggling to get up, then fainted.
Rude stepped back in surprise, only to feel his back press against something hard and heavy. He felt Barret’s long, toned arms embrace Rude and crush him, and he cried out in pain. He dropped him, and before he could fall to the floor, Barret unleashed his Limit Break Ungarmax, showering Rude from behind with s fury of bullets. Rude fell to his knees, then onto his face, unconscious, revealing a grinning Barret behind him, gun-arm still smoking.
"Damn tough fight, eh Spike?" he asked, panting, before turning to the others. "Fuckin’ dumbasses, why did they have so much goddamn materia on?"
Cloud shook his head, lifting his arm and closing his eyes. He felt a warming sensation run through his body as Phoenix hovered over them, and the others slowly awoke, looking around in confusion. "There," he said, after they all had gotten to their feet. "Now there’s no time to waste. Barret, Cid, Cait: Stay here and watch these two. Take any of their materia off them and make sure to keep it out of their grasp; split it between you all. Yuffie and Red," He turned to the two, his face serious. "You two are fastest. We’ll try and track down Reno and find out what he’s done with Tifa…and Vincent." They both nodded and ran out the back door. Cloud turned back one final time before Barret nodded, and he smiled slightly and took off after the two.

xxxxxxxxx

Galian could hear Reno swear softly as he chased him down. With a majestic leap, he landed in front of Reno, an unconscious Tifa slung over his shoulders. He stopped a few feet away, and lightly set down Tifa, his eyes on Galian. A smile flirted on his lips for a moment, but he withdrew his nightstick and twirled it in his fingers, electricity crackling from the tip.
"So, you came to save your girl," he started, placing one hand in his pocket as he continued to spin his weapon. "I can respect that, but unfortunately this is a mission I have to be serious about. I’m afraid I’m supposed to take your head, Valentine, as well as all your friends’. Nothing personal, Vampy, but this is a big client with a big check." He lifted his nightstick above his head like a chopper, then charged Galian with speed he had never thought the Turk had possessed.
Unfortunately, nothing was faster that Galian at his peak.
He calmly sidestepped it, allowing it to brush his fur as he enjoyed the feeling of the shock tickling him. As Reno’s momentum carried him over, Galian spun his forearm around on the spot, catching Reno full in the face. His shades flew off and he stumbled backwards, holding a materia to his broken nose. In an instant it healed and he leapt up, spinning his weapon once again.
Galian yawned and captured the oncoming rod, clasping his hands around on either side. Reno held on with such strength, he actually stopped in mid-air, pushing with all his force against the beast’s grip. Galian threw the rod, along with Reno, to the side, smacking him against a brick wall.
Reno dropped his nightstick as Galian advanced toward him, his keen nose sniffing blood and sweat on his victim. It is time to feed, he said, coming out in growls, and as he tilted his head back to lunge at Reno, he looked up, grinning a sheepish grin.
In the palm of his hand was a red materia, one Galian had never seen before. Did you not retrieve all the summon materia, Vincent? Galian thought, and he could feel Vincent nod, obviously at a loss for words. He roared and charged, but Reno had activated the materia.
Before Vincent stood Ruby, its body pushing against the thin alleyway walls, and they slowly broke apart against him. Galian leapt back instinctively, but no where was safe. He could not fight Ruby as Galian.
"Now, Valentine," gasped Reno, getting to his feet. He rubbed his jaw and wiped the blood from his face. "This was a gift from our affiliate, specifically concentrated to prevent you from stopping us. Here’s a new attack: Ruby! Ultima Lash Cannon!"
Galian watched in horror as Ruby opened its mouth wide, and a section of its chest opened as well. Galian leapt up, only to be pinned to the wall with Ruby’s tentacle-like hands. He struggled, but to no avail; only Chaos was strong enough, and he couldn’t convert back and forth in time.
Suddenly his vision turned green, and his entire body seemed to slice open. He wished for death over and over, hoping he’d die and wishing he wouldn’t. He screamed and howled, and suddenly felt his body fly up.
Opening his eyes weakly, he saw he had reverted back to a human, his tattered cloak beating around him. He tasted blood in his mouth and felt it running into his left eye, obscuring his vision. Ruby raised its arm and brought a whip down upon Vincent’s back, causing him to gasp in pain as his cape flew off. It felt to the ground behind him, indented into the concrete as Ruby removed its hand. It opened its mouth once more and fired its final attack, a solid, green blast; Ultima in a focused ball.
Vincent flew against the wall, and as Ultima dissipated, he bowed his head, his bangs covering his face. His bandanna lay on the ground in front of him, as he gazed at it from his embedded position.
"Shit," he heard Reno whisper softly. "I never knew how powerful that would be." He heard Reno walk toward him, and he with all his being he wished he could reach out and attack. Damn, he thought. I couldn’t save her, I couldn’t even save myself. How weak I’ve become…His thoughts were interrupted as Reno’s footsteps ceased in front of him. He heard a sigh, and suddenly darkness engulfed him, and he remembered no more.

Undying Bond
By: Kirk Stiers

Rating: R (For Adult Situations, Language and later Violence)

Chapter 1 - Unexpected Visitor (2,946 words)

Vincent became lost in thought once more, his eyes gazing into the brilliant sunset in the distance as the cool wind slapped his face. His hair blew steadily in the wind, partially covering his face, to his annoyance. The Highwind continued on course to Nibelheim, both Cloud’s and Tifa’s hometown, where they were to be wed that very week.

Vincent heard footfalls from behind him and closed his eyes, knowing whom was behind him. "What is it, Yuffie?" he asked silently, his dark, cold voice sending chills down her, but she seemed to visibly relax; Vincent was not angry at her company.

She walked beside him and leaned against the railing, watching the few moments of sun left. "It’s beautiful," she whispered, breath-taken as she watched in awe. "All of this, the sunsets, the skies, the seas…life itself could have been destroyed if we hadn’t stopped Sephiroth. I’m kinda glad I did something good for a change." She turned from the faded sun, leaning on her back against the railing. "I just had to ask you why you decided to come with us to them two’s wedding. It’s not like you to willingly attend a social thing. Your coffin getting too cramp or is it something else?" she asked with eagerness in her eye.

Vincent stood silent for a moment, his eyes still lingering in the distance. Then he said, in his wispy voice, "I prefer the desolation of my prior mansion far more than in the open."

Yuffie seemed anxious as she continued to question Vincent, trying to discover his reason. "Come on, you can tell me, can’t you? It’s not like even if I accidentally told someone that it would make a big deal, would it? I mean, you don’t have to tell me, just if you want to…" She spoke very quickly, as if hoping Vincent would not make out most of it. However, Vincent merely stood there, silent and motionless. Yuffie placed her hands on her hips and frowned, pouting cutely. "Fine, don’t tell me." She stormed off back toward the Highwind, half hoping Vincent would stop her and half cursing her for it.

"Life is too good to waste away alone."

Yuffie stopped, her hand already on the door handle, trembling slightly. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? Her heart gave a tiny jump, and she turned around happily to find Vincent inches from her. She gasped in surprise and pulled back slightly, but Vincent took no notice, his dark, blood-red eyes still focused on her, so cold and haunting it was as if he had pierced not only her heart but the deepest bowels of her soul as well.

"If there’s one thing I have learned through my travels with all of you, it is that life is sacred, precious. To spend it alone, wandering with a dark hole in your heart…it is unbearable…"

"Vincent…" started Yuffie softly, longing to reach for him and embrace him, but controlled her sudden emotion with difficulty. She knew he had his heart only to Lucrecia.

"That is why I am offering my congratulations to Cloud and Tifa; they are both kind-hearted and full of pure light, something I can never become as this tainted demon. They should never have to experience the pain that haunted me, and hopefully they shall not, once they are married. I had hoped that, as my reputation precedes me, my appearance would be highly noticed, and they, like you, will wonder my cause. Then I will congratulate them and let my words impact them. I am here to try to preserve their marriage, nothing more." He strolled past her and entered the Highwind, letting Vincent’s explanation hit her ears and heart.

So it’s just to congratulate them, she thought, clenching her fists and allowing a tear to roll down her cheek. Regardless of how any one feels about him, he wants no part of it, desperate to cling to his wife. Why does he have to continue torturing himself, and torture me?

The Highwind landed softly outside Nibelheim, where not only Cloud and Tifa greeted them, but the rowdy Barret and his daughter Marlene, who sat gleefully on his large, broad shoulder.

"Ho! Hello, everyone!" cried Cloud, waving madly with one arm while holding Tifa close to him with the other. "I’m glad you could make it. You guys are all guests of honor!" Cid laughed as he leapt down from above, closely followed by Nanaki, whom they still referred to as Red XIII for old times sake. Cait Sith, Vincent and Yuffie scaled the wooden ladder on the side, coming down besides the others.

Cloud seemed glad to have his old war buddies by his side, but Tifa noticed Vincent’s eyes. They were not his emotionless, cold eyes, but it seemed to hold a flicker of sorrow, sadness and, if she was not mistaken, a fierce determination.

She tilted her head innocently to the side, staring at Vincent. "I didn’t know you were the social type Vincent, coming to the wedding." Vincent’s eyes darted from Cloud to her, and even Cloud stopped his prating as Vincent stood there, silently.

Vincent walked past them, heading toward Nibelheim, but as he passed Tifa, whispered in her ear, "Don’t get used to it." Tifa merely smiled slightly as she turned to follow him to Nibelheim, seizing Cloud’s arm forcefully to guide him back and break his heated argument with Cid and Barret on the best Chocobo jock.

The formality in the air sickened Vincent as he stood quietly in the corner of the magnificent room. A large engagement party had been ensuing since their arrival. It seemed as though Cloud had refused to hold one until his comrades could arrive and celebrate with him.

He sipped his red wine silently, deep in thought yet enjoying the delicate and subtle taste lingering in his mouth. He examined the guests for a while, noting who was here.

Of course there was the famous Dio, owner of the Golden Saucer and Coral Prison, along with several of Cloud’s favorite Chocobo jockeys, joined by Esto, the Race host. There were also several people from Costa Del Sol whom Vincent did not recognize. Probably met them when he was on vacation with Tifa at his little resort he bought. Vincent grew steadily irritated and turned to leave when his breath left him.

Yuffie was chatting amongst her friends and clan from her village, introducing them to the bride, her dazzling silver dress almost blinding Vincent. He abruptly noticed her figure, which was more fuller than he had remembered at last glance. Her hair was let down in a rich flow, startling him. So drastic a transformation!

Vincent slapped himself mentally before adverting his gaze. What are you thinking? He demanded of himself, as he walked out the large archway onto the stunning balcony. You of all people should know the risk of infatuation, and you know the coward you are of your past! You do not wish that to happen to her! He gazed aimlessly at the horizon, the sun long set and laying a majestic star-lit sky. He smiled briefly to himself, quietly enjoying the painting-like style of the heavens as he became lost in its endless beauty.

Suddenly Yuffie walked beside him, gazing upwards to follow Vincent’s glance. He did all he could to avoid her gaze, tilting his head slightly to cut his vision of her. However, her image was etched into his mind, frustrating him.

"Why are you out here, Yuffie? It’s getting cold." He said this in his sullen voice, still not facing at her. She giggled slightly and turned toward him, and he could feel her deep, rich brown eyes on him.

"If it’s so cold, why aren’t you inside as well?" He could hear the tenderness in her voice and he almost shuddered. He could have her now if he wanted it…

"I…dislike these social events," he said with difficulty. "I am quite at ease in the cool air as well. However, in your apparel…" He finally turned toward her, studying her face and clothing. "it might be a different case." He turned away quickly again, for his passion to feel another human was manifesting, though his guilt of the past quickly consumed it once more.

"It may be cold, but I like the stars," she said simply, glancing upwards once more. "I’m a ninja, and I tend to like the outdoors. A little cool air won’t stop me." She smiled sadly and looked down, staring at her own hands, which rested on the balcony rail.

She heard the rustle of his cloak and in a moment she felt it engulf her as Vincent gently wrapped it around her. She gasped in surprise and turned her eyes toward him, but he had already looked away, and she could not help but feel awe as he stood before her, framed by the romantic balcony and the glowing stars. He seemed like a normal man suddenly; a regular dark shirt and pants and a headband, but his claw still broke that illusion.

"Vincent…" she started softly. A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly brushed it aside, her face reddening. She turned away and mumbled, "Thank you."

They stood in painful silence for quite some time, broken only by the chatter of the guests and the clinking of plates and glasses. Yuffie continued to stare at her hands as though entranced while Vincent’s eyes wandered sky-wards.

"It’s a beautiful night," he said suddenly. "I haven’t seen a sky this awe-inspiring since she was alive…" It took several moments for Yuffie to register what he said. She did not brush the tear from her eye this time as she cried silently.

You should have known better Yuffie, she thought harshly. His heart is only for Lucrecia and no one else, not even you. She turned to walk away when she glimpsed his face and gasped in surprise.

Vincent’s expression had changed. His eyes were no long his soulless red, aching to fight to relieve himself of the pain of his past; they were a dark brown, and held a longing expression. He had been staring at her for some time and she had not noticed it, oblivious to anything but her thoughts.

"Vincent…I…" Vincent pressed his finger to her lips, silencing her.

"I mention Lucrecia for only one reason; it is not the stars that make such a night breathtaking. It is whom you are company with, who you share it with." He stepped toward her, and she felt his arms embrace her. She responded almost instantly. She had longed for his touch so long, his strong and warm embrace…

"It is true," he explained softly, resting his chin on her soft hair as he whispered. "that I am weak of heart. I show no feeling because I am afraid, something that shames me to admit. I don’t want to lose someone as close to me as Lucrecia ever again."

Yuffie stood quietly, resting her head on his broad chest as she listened to his steady heartbeat, his deep breathing. How can he be so calm? My heart is beating madly and his is so steady…!

"I guess I’ll just have to protect you better than I did her. I will not repeat my mistakes again. I can’t bear to lose you like I did her." He chuckled softly, and she felt it move through his body. "It would be too dull to return to my coffin, without hearing your voice again, Yuffie." The way he said her name, in his soft, delicate, loving tone sent chills down her spine.

She looked up and gazed at his eyes, those dark, longing eyes, and she suddenly stood on her toes as her lips met his. She could feel he wanted this, needed this, and was all too happy to oblige. She felt the warmth of his kiss spread through her and fill her body and heart as she closed her eyes, and she knew she could trust him; she knew she could be open…

She broke their kiss shortly afterwards, and Vincent opened his eyes warily for her reaction. She braced herself and looked into his eyes, and willed herself to say, "I love you, Vincent."

The words seemed to hang in the air, resonating and time ceased to exist. It seemed like an eternity before Vincent blinked in surprise, and the next thing she realized was that Vincent had kissed her again, breathing softly into her, whispering, "And I love you, Yuffie Kisaragi."

Vincent could feel the effect these simple words had on her. She seemed on the verge of bursting with happiness and glee that she gave a little skip in the air and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately back. He longed to kiss her forever, to feel her lips, her tongue, her breath; just the presence of her warmth had filled the black gap in his soul.

Then Cloud walked in.

Yuffie could not suppress her embarrassment, yet she could not, and admittedly did not try hard, contain her happiness at Vincent’s confession.

"He said he loved me!" she told an excited Tifa later that night, after having escaped the fiasco Cloud created in surprise. They both sat on a majestic bed: soft, fluffy and covered with pink sheets in Tifa’s old bedroom, having been redecorated after her return with her fiancee.

"I’m so happy for you two!" They embraced each other, a mutual feeling of embracing a sibling passing between them. They broke apart, Tifa’s face beaming with glee. "Damn, I can’t imagine Vincent actually saying that! And kissing you, too? I’m just sorry my husband had to pick the worst time to drop in."

Yuffie turned to her in surprise, her expression quizzical. "You’re not married yet, though."

Tifa laughed, waving her hand airily. "Well, I must get used to calling him that sometime. Can’t call him thick head or numb skull all the time around the house. It wouldn’t put him in a romantic mood."

Yuffie fell onto her back, staring at the ceiling, her gaze distant and deep in thought. "But what will happen now? What do I do?" Tifa fell beside her, laying on her side to face Yuffie.

"You be yourself. I don’t know exactly how deep you feel for Vincent, but just act how you always do and if accepts you for you and loves you back, he’s a keeper. Trust me," she rolled over on her back, imitating Yuffie. "it’s hard to find a good guy like Vincent around. He may be quiet, but he’s a nice guy if you get to know him."

Though she sounded casual, Yuffie grew suspicious. Glaring at her, she asked, "How would you know, exactly?"

Tifa looked uneasy for a second before sighing. "Come on, you of all people know how attractive he can seem, right?" She laughed slightly and turned toward Yuffie. "I mean, I don’t think him a bad guy, but I personally like Cloud better, don’t get me wrong. Vincent’s all yours, Yuffie."

Yuffie returned her smile and the rest of the night was spent in silence. Though Tifa’s wedding took place tomorrow, she seemed calm and at ease, and fell asleep soon after. However, Yuffie lay wide awake, her heart pounding wildly whenever Vincent’s name rung through her ears and his face flashed through her head, which, for some reason, seemed to happen quite often.

She suddenly caught the movement of a shadow in the room, and she quickly yet stealthily reached for her origami, only to feel a hand grab hers. She almost screamed in fright until she caught Vincent’s familiar scent and recognized his deep breathing.

She smiled in dark, and Vincent pulled her into another embrace, kissing her softly on the cheek and brushing her hair.

"Vincent," she said softly, enjoying the feeling of his cheek brushing against hers. "what are you doing up here this time of night?" She moaned softly as his lips brushed her neck. She pulled him backwards onto the bed, returning his sudden passionate kiss.

Suddenly he broke off, falling beside her. She turned on her side to face him, her head resting against his. She felt his rough hand wrap around her exposed waist, causing her to shiver in delight.

"I couldn’t resist coming to see you once more. I felt that our last encounter had a little misfortune, and I wanted to spend some time with you alone. After so long of isolation, I feel dependent on another Yuffie. I need your kiss, your voice, just you, to fill a gap in my soul that I am missing." He kissed her again slowly, savoring the moment. She broke the kiss and looked at his wonderful eyes.

"We’re not alone, Tifa’s here. She could wake up at any time and…" Vincent chuckled slightly, confusing her. "What?" she asked defiantly.

"Come now, Yuffie. Tifa is a cunning and capable woman who is about to have her wedding. She could even right now be awake listening to us talk, but she knows better than to interrupt. She is no where near as tactless as Cloud." He smiled slightly and closed his eyes. "I need to sleep here tonight, Yuffie. With you, if you did not mind my pressed company." He waited for her answer, but all that greeted him was silence.

He opened his eyes slowly and found her smiling sleepily at him. He suddenly understood her feelings toward him and, embracing her closer, was lulled to sleep by her steady breathing. How I love you, Yuffie…

Chapter 2 - Heartbroken (2,937 words)

Rating: PG-13 (For Brief Language and Violence)

Winged Angel
By: Kirk Stiers

Chapter One - Moonlight

 A sudden breeze picked up, gliding across the open plain. The grass swayed in the wind, as the traveler laid in total and complete bliss. He was not the most orderly person, his shabby cloak torn and grimy in many places, and his dark, loose-fitting pants were no better. Beside him lay a red scabbard, the hilt of the sword cleaner than the owner. He had his hands behind his long, wavy blue hair as his gazed at the sky with a distant expression on his blue eyes. What it would be like to soar the skies, above the clouds and forever gone……

xxxxXxxxx

Nina’s head snapped back to the front of the classroom, but her attention slowly edged away again. She had to endure hour after hour of listening, or pretending at least, to her teacher, drone on and on about Windian history, the preservation of the kingdom or the unity of magic and Windia.
 Nina looked through the window to her side, her chin resting on her palm as she gazed distantly to the clouds above her. Though she was the princess of Windia, her parents had been very strict about her freedom, especially her father, and the most she could be allow from the castle was to attend the most prestigious private school in the empire.
 "Nina!" cried her teacher, Ms. Winpert, and she came back to Earth. "Please try and pay attention in class, Princess." She added extra emphasis on the word ‘princess’, and though no one would say it, they all thought her the most stuck up person in the world.
 Nina bowed her head a little and her teacher, now seemingly content, turned back to the blackboard and started writing down names of past rulers and their significance. Why does he force me to stay here? It’s not like I have any friends here or even in the kingdom. I just wish I could go on an adventure, meet my hero and finally settle down. I don’t want this kingdom, I don’t want my title, I don’t want any of it!
 Nina was grateful that the bell moments later had stopped her acrimonious thoughts, and she was the first out of the door into the crisp, city air.
 Windia was a spectacularly large city, shops and markets, armories and smithies. There were restaurants outside, and it all led to the majestic castle high above it all, hundreds of feet of stone steps carpeting the entrance. Nina sighed slightly and started up the long stairway, stretching her arms and wings slightly.
 It was these wings that made her so unique, and easily identifiable as the Princess of Windia. True Windians had held beautiful wings upon their backs such as hers, but these angelic features had slowly evaporated into history when they mingled with humans, gradually destroying the race.
 She stopped at the castle doors and beat her wings slightly, and the front guards hastily opened the oak gateway. She tilted her head slightly in thanks and made her way into the luxurious throne room, carefully trending on the red carpet. She looked around and slowly and wearily made her way to her room, hoping not to run into her parents. Though she knew they wished only to protect her, she still resented the fact that she had never set foot once outside the kingdom.
She sighed inwardly, and thought, I’m almost eighteen, and they treat me like a child. When will they let me grow up? She came to her room and opened the solid door, where two guards were stationed on either side. She closed the door behind her and threw her school stuff on her desk, falling onto her bed.
She stared at the ceiling in thought, and decided after a few minutes that she should grab a bite to eat. As she made her way down to the kitchen, she entered the throne room, where her mother and father were seated. She would have strolled out casually as she normally did, but she immediately noticed a blue-haired stranger, bowing in front of his majesties.
Though she thought he could have had better apparel in company of her parents, she thought he had a handsome look to his young face. He can’t be much older than me, she reasoned. And judging by those torn tatters on him, I’d say he’s a traveler. Maybe my parents would let me talk to him about his adventures when he’s done! She hoped, but she knew it was almost pointless. Her parents would be very cautious of their daughter around a stranger, especially an outsider.
"So," exclaimed the King, bringing her back to her senses. "My royal guard tells me you wish to gain a passport to travel the checkpoin, correct?" The blue-haired stranger nodded silently, a small smile on his lips as he turned his azure orbs onto the King. "Very well, I shall have my secretary permit your admission. However, the checkpoint is restricted during evening to prevent prowls from escaping the countryside, so I would advise you to stay at the inn here in the kingdom."
The stranger bowed his head and retreated toward the door, finally turning his back upon the royalty and pleasantly walking out the doors. Nina walked into the throne room and looked at her parents.
"Who was that man?" she asked innocently, her arms behind her back as she leaned forward.
The King waved his hand airily. "Merely an adventure seeking more exploits in the other nation. May I ask why you are out here, daughter?" He turned his eyes upon her, his expression showing no signs of compassion. She noticed how he would call her ‘daughter’ of ‘princess’ instead of her birth-name, and it did sadden her slightly.
"Just going down to get something from the kitchen. I didn’t know what I wanted, so I decided to go down their myself and decide on the way instead of sending a soldier."
"Nonsense!" roared the King. "You should be working on your school assignments instead of flouncing about the castle for something as a snack! Now, I wish you to finish your schoolwork quickly tonight. The Duke of our neighboring kingdom wishes to pay his respects, and I hear the majesty there has a son about your age. I would like you to meet him."
Nina knew how he said ‘meet’ to refer his intent on starting her into another relationship. He had tried several times before, but she was disgusted by each of the men, taking in nothing about her but her body and her status. She had refused every single one, earning her comments such as ‘slut’ and ‘ho’ from random strangers along the streets, and she knew that, to them, she qualified as one.
Still, he was her father and King.
"Yes, your majesty," she said miserably, bowing slightly before retreating to her room. It seemed so unfair; why did she have to be born as the princess?

xxxxXxxxx

Nina sighed to herself as she stood in the ballroom, leaning against a wall. She had been introduced to the Duke’s son, and he seemed no different from the others: Pompous and obnoxious, used to flaunting his rank and wealth into the faces of others.
The rest of the guests were all of high-class people: Lords, Counts, Noblemen, Barons, Earls and Marquises. The classical waltz music rung through the air as pretentious and toplofty laughter echoed through the room. She excused herself, walking out into the lovely garden her mother had spent months supervising herself so every detail was exact.
She sat on one of the stone benches, the fountain blocking most of the noise from the ball and the bright moon giving her enough light to see. She turned suddenly when she heard something, and, to her amazement, saw the blue-haired stranger walk through the gardens, admiring the beauty and precision of the field. He looked up suddenly and noticed Nina’s eyes on him, and he smiled slightly.
"Hello, milady," he said formally, his voice light and pleasant. He walked to her and bowed slightly. She extended her hand and allowed him to bring it to his lips in honorary fashion. "Why would one such as yourself be here alone?"
She looked away from him, drawing her hands into her lap as she gazed at the moon. "My father wishes me to attend the ball, but I find it much to…demanding." The stranger raised an eyebrow and cocked his head slightly.
"May I by chance ask whom your father is?" he asked curiously, quite conscious to make his voice light.
She seemed at a lose for words, then blurted out, "You mean you don’t know who I am?"
He laughed, a strange, melodic tone that entranced her for a moment. "Would you care if I sit with you?" he asked after his outburst, smiling again. She shook her head and slid over slightly so he could lie beside her. He gazed up at the moon, and said softly, "I apologize, but I am only a traveler in this kingdom. I know nothing of the royal lines here. I had come for a passport, and was to receive it tonight from the majesty’s secretary, but I had found, to my dismay, that there was a prom, something one of low stature would not be invited. So I ventured out into this garden and found a lovely maiden sitting by herself. I am sorry if I am not what you expected, though my attire would be quite obvious…" He spread his hands out, indicating his worn clothing. Now Nina smiled.
"No, I knew you were a traveler. I am glad, though, that I could talk to you. My father is quite strict to restrain my ties with any man he fits ‘unworthy’. In other words, they aren’t royalty and don’t have enough money." She turned to him. "I’m sorry, but all this time I talked to you, and I don’t know your name. I am Nina." She extended her hand, and he  shifted his gaze from the illuminated moon to her.
Her face was elucidated by the moonlight. It bathed part of her face, shrouding the other in shadow. Her bright, blue eyes seemed to hold a touch of sadness, and he suddenly noticed a white wing behind her, and she seemed like an angel wrapped in moonlight and darkness.
He took her hand in his and replied, "I am Ryu. I am honored to meet you." She smiled and turned back to the fountain, and he turned to the stars.
"You seem mighty interested in the sky, Mr. Ryu," Nina said, a slight smile playing on her lips. Not often had the princess called a man ‘Mr.’ and never, before this moment, had she thought a man worth wasting that breath on.
"Please, call me Ryu, and yes, the sky intrigues me. What feelings would one feel, when they soared through the buoyant clouds and onto the horizon? I have been fascinated by adventure and mystery, and the sky is an endless possibility." He turned to her, his smile seeming to falter slightly. "I am sorry, it is just a dream of mine to see higher than the clouds." He sighed lightly, and, to Nina’s alarm, stood up. "I should probably leave now. I did not wish to intrude on you, just merely act as the gentleman one should in the presence of a maiden." He turned away, but stopped when he felt Nina’s light fingers wrap around his wrist.
"Please, you are not intruding. I have not been able to hold a conversation from someone outside the kingdom before. Please, could you tell me of some adventures you have endured?"
Reluctantly, Ryu returned to his seat, and then his face broke into his carefree smile. "Very well, what tale would you like to hear?"
They spoke for hours, until the moon was retreating to the horizon. Suddenly, a guard pulled up in front of Nina, and she gasped in surprise and horror. Oh no! He’ll tell him who I am and he’ll be offended that I didn’t tell him! Or maybe he’ll think that he shouldn’t talk to royalty…Thousands of possible outcomes, each worse than the next, flitted through Nina’s head.
"Princess Nina, Your Majesty has called for your attendance in the throne room." Nina turned to Ryu, expecting surprise or astonishment, but he was still gazing at the moon, as he had done all night when he had talked, occasionally turning to her and gazing into her eyes.
"Ryu, I should have said something, but I just…"
He shook his head, closing his eyes. "It is OK. I realized who you were a little while ago, from what you said." This shocked her, and her surprise must have shown on her face, for he looked at her and chuckled slightly.
"What did I say?" she asked, confused.
"‘I have not been able to talk from someone outside the kingdom before’," he repeated, his face breaking into a full grin. Does he always smile? Nina thought. "And besides," he continued. "not everyone in the kingdom, or in the world for that matter, has wings as beautiful and full as yours." He nodded his head towards her snow white wings, which she had forgotten during her brief chat with Ryu.
"Princess Nina…"
"Yes!" she snapped, waving her hand at the soldier. "Tell my father I shall be at his attendance in a moment. I wish to spend just a little more time with this man."
"But your majesty seemed very eager to have you prompted, and wishes your immediate presence."
Nina started growing angry, but when she turned back to Ryu, he was smiling lightly and had a tender look in his eye. She immediately hesitated, and he stood up, breathing deeply as he did. "Perhaps you should not keep your father waiting," he said. He knelt in front of her and took her hand in his, kissing it lightly. "It has been an honor and a most wonderful experience to talk with you, Lady Nina." He stood up and started to depart, and the soldier, content now that his job was done, turned to lead Nina inside.
She stood up and caught Ryu’s rough hand, and he stopped suddenly, swiftly turning to her. His fierce expression instantly softened. "What is it, Nina?"
"Will I get to speak with you again?" she asked, tears playing in the back of her eyes. "You were the only person who I could talk to about something besides this kingdom, and you talked to me even though you didn’t know I was a princess."
Ryu laughed, and Nina swore she would melt on the spot if he did so again, the sound seeming to echoing through the gardens and embrace her, keeping her warm. "I am an adventurer, I have very high doubts we shall talk again, though I would never mind doing so. Besides," He grasped her hand with both of his, and turned to face her fully. "when I came out here, I saw, not a princess, but a lovely girl by her lonesome. Now, I believe your father is waiting for you."
Nina nodded, smiling back at him. "Thanks, Ryu. You’ve been a nice person to talk to."
"I hope I was as much as you were." He turned to leave once more, and she spun about to follow the impatient soldier, back into the throne room, glancing once more at the beautiful moon and then once more at the stranger that had made her entire night, only to find him gone.

Chapter Two - War and Rage

Nina hesitantly made her way before her mother and father, and she could tell by the harsh glare the King wore that she was in trouble.
"Nina!" he shouted. Waving his hand furiously, commanding the guards and soldiers to leave. After the last door was shut, he stood up, anger lining his face. "First, you insult the Duke’s son by disappearing during the ball, and then you are seen with a complete stranger and a common traveler! Have you now sense of nobility, no sense of status? You are a princess to this kingdom!" The queen nodded her head sadly. Nina and her both knew that her father’s angry and furious mind would not be convinced otherwise.
Still she had to try. "Father, this is not the first time you have pressed foreign royalty on me…"
"And each and every single one has ended up in total disaster! You do not know your place! You are to wed a prince or baron, increasing the power of this kingdom and uniting two empires!"
Nina stomped her foot. "So I cannot wed a man whom I choose? One I love? I must marry for wealth and power like a goldminer?"
The King roared in anger, and Nina cowered. "You are the Princess of Windia! You must abide by the traditions!"
Nina felt the tears running down her cheeks as she stared defiantly at her father. "I did not choose to be a princess! And I will not be pressed into marriage! I wish to seek adventure, leave the kingdom! That man out there, he means more to me than any Lord or Count, he took me in and spoke to me out of pure kindness! The others merely see the daughter of a King, a woman for their pleasing! I will not become the play-thing of my husband, for if I am to hand the crown to a man, it will not be one of corruption, but one of kindness and intelligence that can make this king prosper!"
She stormed from the room, leaving her father stunned in silence while her mother smiled slightly. She had courage, all right…

xxxxXxxxx

Nina had locked herself in her room, laying herself on her bed as she cried into her pillow. She wished she could still have Ryu to speak to; he gave her the impression he would listen to anything she told him, and offer the exact words of comfort she needed.
She rolled off her stomach and stared at the ceiling. Why am I constantly thinking about Ryu? she asked herself. He seems so…different from normal men, and he talked to me not because I was a wealthy person, but because he thought me a beautiful one. She stood up and walked toward the window. I don’t want to stay here anymore, waiting for my father to choose my groom. I’m not staying here.
She remembered her father’s word to the stranger: ‘I would advise you to stay at the inn here in the kingdom.’ He would stay at an inn until morning, then leave for the checkpoint to the East.
She grabbed her backpack and cloak, wrapping it around her, and opened her window. She stood in the frame, glancing at the ground below. None of the guards were there, and she took a deep breath before jumping off.
She spread her wings behind her, and she slowed her descent. She landed clumsily, not used to flight, and quickly and quitely made her way out of the castle ground. She avoided sight of the front guards by flying down the side, landing in a heavily treed piece of land surrounding the kingdom. She swiftly ran to the inn, and opened the door.
Light flooded her as she walked in front the dark street. Several drunk men were laughing merrily at a small bar in the next room. She walked to the clerk and asked, "I am here looking for a man named Ryu."
"I am sorry," she said, looking at Nina suspiciously. "But we do not give out any information about our guests." Nina almost opened her cloak to reveal her identity before she heard someone say, "Who would want anything from me?"
She spun about hopefully, and saw Ryu descending the stairs. "Darlen, I just came down to ask for a meal to be sent to my room, and that the cold water is searing hot."
The clerk nodded her head. "Very well, sir. I shall have the cook see that your food is done quickly. As for the water, maintenance has been scheduled for tomorrow morning, we have had that problem for the past few days." Ryu nodded his head, and turned to Nina, an eyebrow raised in question. She ran forward and grabbed his hand, leading him upstairs.
When she made she they were the only ones in the hall, she took off the hood of her cloak. She was met with his mysterious smile again, and he greeted her, "Welcome, Princess. Now what do I owe the pleasure of your late night visit? Perhaps another chat of tales and adventures?"
"You-you’re not surprised that I’m here?" she asked, dumbfounded.
He shook his head, his long, blue bangs swaying gently in front of his face. "The moment you grabbed my hand, I could tell it was you. You have soft, delicate skin, fingers somewhat smaller than mine and wear that ring." He pointed down at the pink, diamond ring on her left hand, which her mother had given her a few years back.
She turned back from the ring to Ryu. "You are quite observant."
He shook his head again. "Just merely catch a few things here and there. Now, please tell me why you are out this time of night, Nina. It could be very dangerous with these drunkards around."
"Please, can we discuss this somewhere else where no one will walk in and find me?" He nodded and led her to his room, opening it and standing aside to let her in. She stepped into his small but comfortable room and sat down on his bed, looking around in wonder as he chuckled.
"Considering you’ve lived in that palace for so long, I am astounded to see you entranced by this room."
"That’s why, I’ve never seen anything outside the castle besides my school. But anyhow," she turned to Ryu, her expression serious. "I want you to take me on your adventure. At least for a little bit," she added at his surprised expression. "until I learn how to survive on my own. I mean, that is, if you could…" Ryu stood silent for a moment, pondering, and advanced toward her, sitting on the bed besides her.
"Sure."
She had expected a long-winded explanation on why he couldn’t, or at least her motive for running away. She just sat there for a moment, mouth open to plead and beg him, but she quickly closed it. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks and she threw her arms around a stunned Ryu.
She felt his body tense up as she threw her arms around him. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck, and she privately enjoyed it. She slowly felt him relax and return her embrace, and she remained there, crying on his shoulder. She would finally get to see the world…

xxxxXxxxx

Nina woke up on Ryu’s bed, slowly getting up and looking around , Ryu’s equipment lay in the corner: A small, camping kit, a rucksack and a red sheath, the sword hilt seemed wrapped in gold and the very bottom held a cyan jewel, that reflected with just enough light.
Her head turned when she heard the door open, and Ryu walked into the room with a box under his arm, smiling at her. "Ah, you are up. Good, there’s a shower over there if you need one, the water is fixed, Oh, and before I forget…" He took the box and handed it to her. "These are traveling clothes. You would not want to survive in the wilderness in your outfit." True, her light blue dress only went down to her mid-thighs and had no sleeves. Her thin, white gloves would not add anything other than class to her image, as well as he high-heeled shoes.
She mumbled her thanks and left for the shower. After cleansing herself off, she opened the box, and found a dazzling pink long-sleeve with holes in the back for her wings and matching shorts that went almost down to her knees. She found a black pair of classy but comfortable shoes at the bottom as well.
She studied herself in the mirror for a moment, decided that she was fit enough and entered the bedroom. Ryu was laying on the bed with his usual attire, his sword in his hand as he dozed lightly.
Nina smiled and walked over to him, and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. He cracked one eye open and looked at her. "Looks good on you," he said simply. She blushed.
"Well, how did you know my size and height?" she asked, poking him. He shrugged and closed his eyes.
"Lucky guess."
He stood up and grabbed his things, beckoning her to follow. They walked downstairs to find a group of soldiers interrogating the clerk. Ryu quickly stopped and pushed Nina back, hiding her around the corner as he peeked down the stairs.
"Come now, peasant," chided one of the men, sneering. He pointed his spear at the clerk menacingly. "We heard someone say they saw a hooded figure disappear into this inn last night, and the princess is missing. Now tell us where she is or you’ll be punished for treason and refusal to cooperate with the law!" He edged his spear closer to the clerk’s face, and sweat ran down the side of her head.
Ryu slowly walked down the stairs, and Nina whispered, "Ryu!" before he stood at the foot, his sword hanging on his back. The guards turned to him, and the leader raised an eyebrow. "I do not appreciate your rude behavior toward this clerk. She is only doing her job." He shook his head.
The leader laughed, slamming the butt of his spear into the ground. "And who the hell are you? Don’t you know better to mess with the law?"
"The law is only good is pure and uncorrupted," Ryu retorted calmly.
The leader snarled. "I am Basil Argamon! How dare you say my ways of the law are unjust! You filthy peasant, I should destroy you on the spot for insult against me!" He spun his weapon above his head, and Ryu felt himself slide back slightly from the extreme speed of the spear. "I’ll teach you not to mess with me!"
"Ryu!" Nina cried, throwing all caution out the window to the wind as she ran downstairs. "You mustn’t fight him! He is one of the elite guards at my father’s castle!" The entire room suddenly grew silent, staring at Nina.
"Ah-ha! So you were the one who kidnapped the princess!" shouted Basil wildly, pointing an accusing finger at Ryu. "Now you are hereby sentenced to death by treason and for the kidnap of the heir to the throne!" Basil charged Ryu, who gently pushed Nina to the side.
"No!" she cried.
Basil swung his spear, but Ryu merely ducked, shooting forward, his fist met with the warrior’s plated stomach. He continued to charge toward the other soldiers, Basil still on his knuckles. He grunted and threw him forward, slamming him into the wall. The clerk screamed and the others stood stupidly, looking at Ryu, then to their leader, then back again. They dropped their weapons and ran from the inn screaming.
"Bloody cowards!" roared Basil, getting to his feet with the help of his spear. "I’ll kill you and return to the princess to the castle."
"I give you one chance," Ryu said, his voice strong and confident. "I will allow you to leave this battle alive. I don’t want to kill someone doing their job, but if you insist on killing me, I am afraid that I have no choice."
"Ha! Worthless scum! I’ll not back down from your empty threats!" He charged forward once again, but Ryu moved with such speed that Nina did not see him move, nor draw his sword, but when she blinked he had done both, standing behind Basil with his sword in his right hand as he slid to a stop on one knee.
Basil turned around to charged again before he coughed, blood splashing on the ground. He fell backwards, and Nina suddenly saw the front of his armor crushed. She looked in horror from Basil to Ryu, who sheathed his sword, not one drop of blood on it.
"He is not dead," he said lightly, strolling over to the unconscious soldier. "I merely knocked him unconscious, though he may have sustained a few broken ribs. Now, are you going to join me, Nina? You can still return and say I kidnapped you, if you wish." He extended his hand, his blue eyes on hers.
Nina shook her head and took his hand. "I’m staying with you." Ryu smiled slightly and they ran out the door together, and soon they were in the open fields, the scent of nature surrounding them as they left Windia far behind them.