An idea I've been fooling around with for a bit, especially after Dirge of Cerberus. What would happen if Lucrecia wised up and decided to actually talk to Vincent? This is the result, hope you enjoy.
And I don't own Final Fantasy 7, Dirge of Cerberus or any characters appearing in this chapter.
Lucrecia awoke distressed, sweating and breathing heavily. It was dark out, with only the moonlight from an open window providing any light. Hojo had complained about her leaving the window open, claiming it endangered company property. It was unsettling to think that he meant her, and more specifically, her unborn child.
Lucrecia sat up, brushing her brunette hair behind her ear. Hojo wasn't in the other bed, which would mean he's probably in the basement again. Not surprising, really. The only thing he was interested in was science. Luckily, that made it easier to sneak out without bothering him. She was starving, and it was unlikely she'd get any more sleep anyway. Putting a robe over her nightgown, she quietly made her way out the door and into the hall way.
Her hand slipped over her stomach, three months into her pregnancy. She never thought being pregnant would be like this. But then again, she didn't give it much thought in the first place. She was the only suitable female in the vicinity under Shinra's employ, which meant that she didn't have much of a choice. But more then that, she was eager to make a name for herself, to prove her theories correct. In that regard, she and Hojo had something in common. Vincent didn't agree with it, to put it lightly. But it wasn't his decision to make.
Although, the fact that he cared so much meant a great deal.
But now, she had never been so frightened. Once it was confirmed she was pregnant, the experiments began almost immediately. Jenova was introduced into her system, and every day she could feel her body change. Become more foreign to her as she adapted and absorbed the Jenova cells. Every now and then she'd collapse, and her body would ache every so often.
Shortly after the experiments began, the dreams began. The frequency wasn't consistent, but they were frightening none the less. Like watching a film, images of a familiar woman slaughter innocent people, destroy them inside out, ripping them apart with her mind. This woman did so with a smile on her face, and the eyes of a monster.
Was that what Jenova really was? A monster wearing the guise of an Ancient? Perhaps that's what she was witnessing, some kind of memory. But what did that mean for her, and her child? Jenova was becoming a part of them everyday, would she take them over? Force them to commit atrocities? Would they become monsters as well?
Lucrecia tried not to think of motherhood, because it was unlikely she'd be a mother. It was guaranteed that her child would be poked and prodded until there was nothing left to learn. If there's anything left it'll likely be tossed into some form of combat training in an attempt to make it into a living weapon. She'd probably never hold it, talk to it, or even meet it after giving birth.
It was so easy to ignore before she was pregnant, and in the beginning. How selfish was she? Turning her only child into a monster, and for what? Her name in the paper and a generous paycheck?
But what could she do now? Shinra would never allow her to back out of the project now, and it's impossible to escape from this. Shinra has eyes everywhere, as far as she knows. A part of her thought about asking Vincent for help, but the rest of her stomped on the part ruthlessly. She would not endanger Vincent's life so selfishly. She'd only get him killed like…
As Lucrecia approached the kitchen she ceased that line of thought, trying to shift her thoughts to something more pleasant. It did little good, since the bulk of her good memories involved "Vincent!" she shrieked quietly as she spotted the raven haired man exit the kitchen. Vincent was wearing a white tie shirt and black shorts, with a sandwich in his hand and a shocked expression on his face. He looked devilishly handsome regardless.
"Lucrecia? Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.
Lucrecia shook her head, moving past him. "It's nothing." she lied. "I was just hungry. Goodnight."
Watching Lucrecia enter the kitchen, Vincent couldn't help but notice how cold she was now. She seemed so far away, a far cry from so many months ago. From the Lucrecia that always greeted him with a smile and opened up to him. If she was happy, then he could bear this, but he had something to get off his chest. "I... I don't know why your so cold now Lucrecia." He started, causing her to stop. Good, she wasn't ignoring him, it was a start. "If you're happy with the state of things, then fine. I'll transfer out and you'll never have to see me again."
That declaration caused the brunette to turn sharply, disbelief etched on her face. She want wanted to scream out, to rebel against the very thought. Vincent couldn't leave her. It was something she never considered and not a reality she wanted to face. She wasn't strong enough to bear this alone.
Seeing Lucrecia's expression filled Vincent with hope, perhaps there was a chance to salvage their.. what? Friendship? Vincent supposed that's all it could be called now, but the word didn't feel right in the slightest. "But I can't leave without knowing for certain. Is this what you truly desire?"
The woman stood agape at Vincent's confession, unsure of what to say or how to say it. A minute of silence passed before she moved toward the kitchen table and took a seat. Vincent followed suit, pulling something from his back pocket and setting it in the middle of the table. A small device, no more then 4 inches high, that emitted a green light. A communication jammer, she mused silently. A handy device that jammed any tracking or recording device in the immediate vicinity. It was a useful device for those who wanted a conversation to remain private; perfect for a Turk.
Another minute passed, and against her 'better' judgment, Lucrecia began. "It started a few months ago..."
"Hmph." Vincent grunted in frustration, taking a sip from the glass of liquor he made during her story. It hadn't been that long though. "I, I'm sorry. I should have stopped Hojo." he said quietly, avoiding her gaze.
"There's nothing you could have done." she reassured him, looking down. "We still don't completely understand what Jenova is."
'Although I have a good feeling she's not an Ancient.' She thought sardonically before continuing. "I was determined to see this experiment through. I wanted a reputation so badly I lost sight of what was happening. I deserve this."
Vincent thought of responding to that, but thought better of it. Lucrecia was intent on blaming herself, and arguing over it would do little good. Instead he asked, "What do you intend on doing about it?"
She looked at him as if he just told her she was on fire. "What do you mean? What can I do?" raising her voice slightly, but not particularly caring. Vincent held up his hand to silence her, looking apologetic as he did so.
"I'm willing to do whatever is necessary Lucrecia. The question is what do you want to do?"
Lucrecia gaped at him for a few seconds before answering.
1 week later
"Ms. Crescent? You wanted to see me?", said a guard standing in her doorway. Lucrecia was currently dressed in a simple blue dress, with a thick bag around her arm. "Have you seen my shoes?" she asked in an irritated voice, looking around her room.
The guard suppressed a sigh. They don't pay him enough for this. "I believe they're downstairs ma'am. Will that be all?"
"No actually. I wanted you to tell Dr. Hojo when he wakes up that I'm went to town with Vincent to check out the supplies." She pointed at the sleeping form wrapped under several covers.
"If I may, can't you do that yourself, ma'am?" he asked, a little too whiny for Lucrecia's taste.
"I could, but I told you to do it. And Vincent and I are getting lunch, and I doubt Hojo will join us or wait for me. Is there a problem?"
"No ma'am." the guard relented, defeated.
"Good. Stay here until he awakens. If I need anything Vincent or I will call you."
"Excuse me ma'am, but wouldn't it be better to take some more guards? Your valuable property of Shinra now, should anything happ.." Lucrecia cut him off with a dirty look. "Should anything happen Vincent is more then capable of protecting the both of us." she finished with an air of finality, and an odd, but pleasantly proud feeling towards Vincent.
"A, alright ma'am" the guard surrendered. "Good." she smirked, walking out the door. It's good being the boss.
She looked down, spotting Vincent in his Turk uniform, leaning by the stairs with his arms crossed and eyes closed. She began walking down the stairs, her heart beating faster with each step. What was she doing here? She thought rapidly. This is treason! Suicide! It'll never work and they're both going to die!
Lucrecia, so preoccupied with her frantic thoughts, wasn't paying enough attention to her feet and tripped down the stairs, much to her shock. She closed her eyes, expecting the hard wooden stairs and gravity to take effect. But instead of a painful impact, she was greeted by a pair of arms that caught her, and planted her firmly on the floor.
"Are you alright?" Vincent asked, inspecting her slightly. She looked back at him, and felt more secure then she has in the last three months. She was still frightened, but Vincent's presence made it bearable. She smiled and nodded. "We should go." She whispered. He nodded and reached for the duffle bag beside him, grunting as he lifted it.
Lucrecia slipped into her shoes, light and comfortable, easy enough to run in.
Vincent walked to the door, and opened it for her. Lucrecia stood as the sunlight shone through the door. With renewed conviction, she stepped through.
It was a beautiful day in Nibelheim. Summer was drawing to an end here, but the sun was as bright and warm as ever. Lucrecia remembered fondly the days she and Vincent would go on picnics on days such as this. That is, until she pushed him away; something that is fast becoming her one of her biggest regrets. For so long she was frightened that Vincent would die as a result of his affiliation with her. Just like his father before him.
Lucrecia remembered Grimoire Valentine fondly. He was a brilliant man, always kind to her and always listened to her theories, open to possibilities. He gave her hope and confidence to aspire for greatness. In the end it was her overconfidence that got him killed, in an experiment to summon the WEAPON Chaos.
She sighed sadly as she looked at Vincent, pacing ahead of her slightly. She hadn't told hm yet. She didn't have the courage to. What would he say? What would he do? Would he push her away, leave her on her own? But she knew she'd have to tell him someday, for every day it went unsaid her guilt over the incident grew.
Vincent stopped in front of the Inn and turned to face her. He whispered to her, "You should get something to eat. You'll need the strength. I'll go to work. Meet me at the spot quickly though, and call me if you need anything." It was amazing how professional he sounded. It wasn't a cold tone, but it lacked any feeling. It wasn't a tone she was used to hearing from him. The brunette nodded regardless, and headed inside, sparing a backwards glance at Vincent, who smiled at her. She didn't like being separated like this, but Vincent had to "get to work" as he put it, and she had the feeling it was something she didn't want to see.
Vincent watched her enter the Inn with a smile, before that smile disappeared and his face grew grim. He walked calmly towards the entrance of the town, hand in his pocket.
There was a small station set up by the entrance of the town, with at least half a dozen guards stationed there. Nothing to really worry about, but he would have to be as delicate as possible. Nothing flashy, nothing loud, all targets need to be neutralized. A single button could have at least twenty guards on him, and as good as he was, he wasn't that good.
He was familiar enough with the station, it was build to spite Hojo after he complained about the quality of the parts he was getting. So Heidegger stopped having supplies brought directly to the mansion, which forced him to have to walk down town and inspect the product himself. Vincent didn't care for the Shinra administration, but he silently gave them his kudos for that particular stunt.
Today happened to be a supply day, so that added one more body and transportation.
He came into view of the station, a small building comprised mostly of a few rooms. Security surveillance of the town was run there as well. Two guards were sitting down, playing a game of some sort on a wooden table. The truck was parked a few feet from them, facing the exit. It's likely no one touched anything, last person who did so without permission or knowledge of how to move Hojo's equipment ended up cracking a container, breathed in something he shouldn't have, and wound up dying quite painfully. It was secure to drive, as he knew nothing toxic was on board.
He approached the pair of guards, and the two snapped into attention. He forgot for a moment that he outranked them. "At ease." The two relaxed, and one of them asked. "Good morning Mr. Valentine. What brings you here today?" The raven-haired Turk motioned for the two to come closer, which they did, growing excited. He couldn't blame them for that, this was a rather boring job for some.
"We've recently received information that suggest terrorists will be attempting to steal company property and Ms. Crescent. Radio contact is prohibited. Gather everyone here in the surveillance room immediately." The two looked shock, but nodded regardless and went to their task.
It was a lie he had practiced for a while, but never thought he'd use. Once he knew Lucrecia was pregnant, a part of him always hoped that she would come to him. He wanted her to be happy, so if she wanted to see the experiment through so be it. But something gnawed at him, an uncertainty. He was glad he confronted her last week, despite the danger.
The Turk reached for his gun, but thought better of it. He felt no particular loyalty for these men or Shinra, but something stopped him. Was it pity?
He shrugged, unsure of how to answer. Nonetheless, he fingered a pair of materia in his pocket. He had found some a few months ago while exploring the natural Mako streams in the Nibel Mountains, but he never though he'd use them, perfering his guns to magic. Funny how life works sometimes.
Ten Minutes later, Vincent stood before the surveillance monitors. Behind him were the nine guards stationed here. They all looked excited, whispering amongst themselves about how they'll finally get some action in this 'hick' town. He almost told them that there's nothing glorious about combat, and these days in a peaceful town should be cherished, as it's entirely possible that real terrorists actually do show up and kill all of them with the remorse one has for swatting a fly. But he felt sorry for them, because in all likelihood he was probably about to ruin their careers.
He saw Lucrecia exit the Inn, a guard in tow. She seemed to argue with him for a bit, before relenting and heading towards the station, with him following. Shit. They'll probably be here in a few minutes, best be quick. He reached in his pocket and pulled out two gems, one blue and one green. They glowed in his hand for a moment, before he spun around, gesturing his hand at the group of guards. They looked shocked, before they all fell to the floor, knocked out by a Sleep spell, combined with an All materia. That would keep them out for at least an hour. Plenty of time. He slid the materia back into his pocket, then proceeded to shut off the entire surveillance and communication system, which should by them some more time. Considering he had most of the guards busy today, it would be a while before anyone noticed his smokescreen. Still, Shinra was quite effective when they wanted to be, so he figured this would give them about an hour, maybe two.
A knock on the door came, followed by a male voice. "Mr. Valentine? Are you in there sir?" Quickly and quietly, Vincent moved behind the door, pulling the Sleep materia from his pocket. "Come in."
The guard did so, and Vincent seized him, holding him fast and covering his mouth. It took longer for the sleep spell to take effect, since the target was far more alert then the nine he just took out. Within a minute though, Vincent's sleeper hold and the sleep spell took effect, and the man slumped down. With a sigh of relief at a situation that could have gone very awry, he laid him behind the door and left the room, locking it behind him. Lucrecia was already in the truck's passenger seat, eating some kind of candy bar.
As he reached for his bag, Vincent began to wonder. Should he have killed the guards? When they walk up they'll alert everyone of the situation.
'No' he shook his head as he headed towards the truck; bag in hand, keys in the other. Someone will get suspicious when they don't report in anyway, and he'll be branded a traitor regardless because of the surveillance footage from the base. No point in killing pointlessly, that's what his father told him when he became a Turk. He and he's father weren't as close as they could have been, but he was a wise man, and his advice should be considered.
Besides, something told him he'll need the bullets.