Title: Angel of Darkness.

What happens when Vincent is forced to raise a boy as his own? And does he regret it when old enemies come knocking? Can this boy, forced day and night to work, come to love Vincent? Or will the flames of anger consume him? What happens if Vincent is forced to save the boy's life by giving up his own? Is Vincent ready to make that sacrifice?

Me- Oh, C.R.E.E.P.Y. Yeah, this is going to be good! I can already tell!

Vincent- I have to take care of a boy? – Glares as he whips out Death Penalty and starts to shoot-

Me- AH! I'm sorry! Don't kill me! –Runs away- be right back guys! If I don't die first…-shakes behind a wall-

Chapter one:

Vincent sat calmly on a rock outcropping, tattered cape flapping in the chilly breeze. His hands were crossed over his chest as he blew a heavy sigh out. He watched the lights of Midgar dim with the night. A hand was suddenly on his shoulder, but Vincent did not start.

"How are you doing Vincent? You could come into Midgar. Tifa'd be happy to lend you a room."

"No thank you, Cloud. I am fine up here." Vincent stated simply. Cloud shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

"As you wish, Vincent." Cloud turned and left, leaving Vincent in his silence. Cloud did glance over to him as he mounted his Chocobo seeing the man had only shifted his weight.

"What is on your mind now, Vincent?" Cloud asked emptily. Cloud's Chocobo, Marien, squawked and stood to her feet. Cloud rubbed her head and sighed heavily.

"I am alright, Cloud." Vincent called. Cloud chuckled, knowing the man could hear him whisper just as loud as he could breathe.

"I know you are…" Cloud pulled his cloak tighter around him and asked Marien to walk back to Midgar.

Vincent was touched by Cloud's concern and he stood to his feet. He started to walk back, thinking to take Cloud up on his offer. But a twig suddenly snapped and Vincent whirled, Death Penalty out in his hands. He suddenly, slowly, dropped his gun as he saw what walked through the trees.

"Vincent Valentine Sir?" Vincent growled and nodded once. "Please, Sir. I need your-" his voice suddenly wavered and he coughed, hard. The cough racked the boy's body as he clenched his hand into a fist. Vincent then noticed that the boy's hand clutched his side tightly. The boy looked up to him and held out the hand that clutched his side. It was stained red as he fell to his knees. "Help me…" he begged. He lurched sideways and fell with a dull thump on the ground. Vincent ran over and lifted the boy in his arms. He half sprinted over to his Chocobo, Less. He mounted without the aid of his hands and asked her to go to Midgar. Less complied and ran to Midgar. Vincent pulled the boy tight against his chest, hoping to give the boy some of his body warmth.

Cloud walked into the hotel, shaking off his cloak. He hung it up and ran his hand through his blonde hair. He glanced out the door before he closed it, half expecting to see Vincent.

"Not coming down, is he?" Cloud looked over to Tifa and shook his head. "That's our Vincent." Tifa shrugged her shoulders. Cloud nodded and glanced back to the door. Tifa stopped and glanced back to him.

"I know you care for him, so does he. But he does need his own space and time. He is different than most." Cloud sighed and almost stepped into the other room when the door slammed open. Cloud, instinctively, grabbed for his sword when he stopped.

"Vincent?" the man dressed in black and red was out of breath and clutching something in his arms. Cloud had never seen his friend out of breath and haggard looking as he did. If Cloud didn't know any better, he would have thought Vincent was a villain. "What is wrong?" Cloud asked, half gasping.

"Take care of him!" Vincent indicated to the bundle in his arms. Cloud jerked himself back to reality at Vincent's sharp voice. Cloud looked down and saw a boy, no older than 14, in Vincent's arms. Tifa was suddenly taking the boy gently from Vincent's arms and walking up to a spare room, calling for Nanaki. The red lion was on his feet, following the woman up the stairs. Vincent sat heavily into a chair and sucked in a breath.

"Vincent, who is that?" Vincent looked up as Cloud sat next to him.

"I…don't know. He arrived just shortly after you left. He knew me and said he needed my help. I am going to hang around for a while until he wakes up."

"Which could be a while…he's got a deep gash in his side."

"Can I do anything to help?" Vincent asked, standing to his feet. Tifa shook her head and stood next to him.

"All he needs now is sleep. Let him have it for a while. I don't know what happened to him, but he may not be willing to tell us. So don't force it out of him, all right Vincent?" Vincent nodded once and sat back down. A thought then crossed in his mind and he stood to his feet again. He walked out the front door without another word and left to go back into the forest.

Cloud watched Vincent walk back to the forest, a knot of worry clenching his insides. Tifa was next to him, hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Cloud. Vincent knows how to handle himself. He is probably looking for clues to help figure out the boy's identity." Cloud nodded once and closed the door Vincent had left open.

Vincent fought against the fierce wind that blew against him. It was as though the Planet didn't want him to find something. All the more reason for Vincent to be the one to find it. Vincent pulled his red cloak tighter around him. Winter was coming early the year. Vincent suddenly halted at the top of the hill.

"Early?" he mused out loud. Vincent squinted his eyes and looked into the sky. He had a sudden awful feeling that the storm and the lost boy were somehow connected. But how, Vincent had no idea. "Early…" he said again, taking another step forward. He pushed further until he stopped at the place where he met the young boy. Vincent bent his knees and examined the bloodstains on the ground. He ran his gloved finger over the blood when something snarled to his left. Vincent was on his feet and had whipped out Death Penalty in a blink of an eye. A large, wolf like creature stepped forward, teeth bared. Vincent aimed his gun at the creature's head, but the beast moved faster than any creature its size should be able to move. The monster knocked Vincent to his knees and almost dug her teeth into his exposed neck when the weight was suddenly off his back.

"Narlik, no!" a sharp female voice echoed. The wolf stepped back and bowed her head.

"Sorry about that sir…she's just a pup and still learning." Vincent nobly stood to his feet and looked over to his right. There, a girl all of twenty sat on the back of a creature even Vincent had never seen. The creature stood on four legs. It had a large, muscular body and a thick tail made of hair. It also had hair dangling from its neck. It had a long face with intelligent eyes. It's ears swiveled in all directions, listening to the different sounds of the night. Vincent blinked once, then looked up to the girl who sat on the creature.

"What is that?" he asked. The girl chuckled and patted the creature's neck.

"I take it you've never seen one? How does that feel Shadow?" the creature snorted and shook his head. "He is one of a kind. He is a nightmare. A hell horse, some call them. He could also be called a Kelpie. That should be one you know." The horse, or nightmare, pawed the ground and shifted his weight.

"And you are?" Vincent asked, shifting his eyes to the girl.

"Sorry, I'm being impolite. My name is Rika. Rika Jestic. I am looking for someone…perhaps you have seen him? He is a little boy, he looks about thirteen. His name is Tanis…and he is my brother. Have you seen him? He also has black hair and bright blue eyes."

"Yes, I have him…one question though, how old are you?"

"I am eighteen, turning nineteen in a few months. Our mom and dad…wait!" she was suddenly erect in her saddle. She dismounted fluidly and pulled the bridal off her mount. She then whispered something in his ear and he screamed in protest. But he shook his head and galloped off. She then bent next to Narlik and whispered something in his large ears. He growled in response and also disappeared into the night. She slowly stood to her feet and turned to Vincent.

"I know who you are and I know this will be a lot to ask of you…but do you think that you could watch over my brother for me? He has always been fond of you. Promise me?" she asked with a sad smile on her face. Her eyes had gone dim as she stared at Vincent.

"Why can't you do it?" Vincent saw the black shafted arrow two seconds too late. The arrow struck Rika in the back, piercing her heart from behind. She fell to her knees and looked over to Vincent.

"Promise me?" she asked again. The light in her beautiful emerald eyes was starting to fade with her pain as the planet called her back. But she was fighting until she got an answer. She would fight as long as she would have to until she found someone who could take care of her baby brother. And Vincent didn't want to see the eighteen year old go through that much pain.

"I promise." Vincent stated, taking Rika's hand in his. "Now, go back to the Planet. I know she calls you." Rika nodded and tightened her grasp on his hand.

"Take care of him, he was all I had left. The creatures will show themselves in due time. Watch for them." Her hand loosened and Vincent closed his eyes, letting her hand go. He watched her hand land next to the body. Vincent then stood to his feet…slowly, purposefully and walked back to Midgar. He would tell the boy if he was awake what happened to his sister.