Looking back at the beginning of this
And how life was
Just you and me and love and all of our friends
Living life like an ocean
Now the currents slowly pulling me down
It's getting harder to breath
It won't be too long and I'll be going under
Can you save me from this

It's Not My Time - 3 Doors Down

---

Yuffie sighed, her storm grey eyes staring blankly at the dark churning water beneath her. She should have been feeling seasick like always, but she didn't – no, maybe she couldn't – feel things anymore. She didn't want too; she had tried to force all her feelings away from her, ultimately pushing her friends away as well. Not that the last one was by choice, she blamed her father for that one.

"Stupid old man," she grumbled, leaning against the railing, the coolness seeping through her thin coat. "I could just hate you . . ."

It had all started after the Omega and Chaos incident in Midgar – her father had seen her on the six o'clock news network from Junon, with Reeve and Vincent on either side of her discussing what had happened. Well, they sort of explained, there were some things people didn't need to know about. When she had returned to Wutai, her father summoned her to the Pagoda – that was never a good sign. Lord Godo, with the help of Chekov, berated her for spending so much time with males so publicly. She wasn't a proper Wutai woman; she was loud, outspoken and wild . . . the proper Wutai woman only spoke when spoken too, doted on her husband and never acted out of term.

Yuffie rolled her eyes at the memory . . . as if!

Yuffie wandered onto the fifth floor of the Pagoda, warily looking at her father and the Council that sat around him. Making eye contact with them, she inwardly smirked – she had no plans of ever becoming the proper woman they desired. "You called for me, father?" she said, stopping in the middle of the room.

Her father nodded, indicating to the chair in the middle of the room. "Please sit, we have some things to discuss."

Yuffie slowly walked over to the chair, dropping herself unceremoniously into it. "Make this quick, alright? Tifa's calling me this afternoon – Vincent's birthday is in a couple weeks."

She let out a laugh as she said that; Tifa had told her that is was supposed to be a surprise. She hadn't told Vincent, and wasn't planning to tell the gunslinger either – if he knew, he probably wouldn't be in Nibelheim when they showed up. Yuffie rolled her eyes; that was their gunslinger.

She couldn't wait to see him though . . .

"Yuffie?"

"Huh?" She totally wasn't listening.

"You're too be married; we'll make you a proper woman."

Married? She thought. Her mind on a totally different page, she shook her head, holding back a laugh. "I doubt he'd agree to that."

"He already has."

Yuffie paused, an eyebrow raised. ". . . are we talking about the same person?"

Chekov shook his head, placing his hand on Godo's shoulder, the older man tensing. "Miss. Kisaragi, you know you must marry in order to take control of Wutai. As a woman, you're unable to run –"

"Excuse me?" Yuffie glared, forcing herself to remain sitting and failing. "I refuse to be a figure head so some guy can get our throne."

"It doesn't really matter what you will or will not do," Chekov sighed. "You must learn your place in the company of men and you will marry and you will become the proper woman."

"I'll never be anyone but myself," Yuffie commented idly. "If you wanted me to be the proper woman, perhaps you shouldn't have sent me out to hunt for materia – gawd!"

"That was a mistake on our part," Godo said, standing up. "As of today you will not be leaving Wutai without an escort –"

"What about Vincent's surprise party?" Like hell she wasn't going. "We've been through so much!"

Godo waved the comment aside. "Spending time with males so publicly – you know Leviathan wouldn't approve of this."

"He's my friend," she cut in with a glare.

"As a Wutai woman, and a Princess at that, spending time with another male gives off a bad impression." Yuffie didn't respond, but raised an eyebrow at her father's words. "Seeing you on television with multiple men has brought lots of rumors about you, you're thought of not to be pure making your suitors turn away one by one."

"You think I had sex with Vincent?" Yuffie blinked and then let out a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth – had she just said that?

Godo glared at his daughter, quickly standing up, shaking off Chekov. Yuffie glanced blankly at her father as he left the Council, the members following along behind him, approaching her. Yuffie rolled her eyes as she stood up, a hand on her hip as Godo stopped before her. "No daughter of mine will talk so nonchalant about her sex life – you have a long way to go before you're a proper woman –"

"Maybe I don't want to be!" Yuffie yelled, her hands balling up into fists.

Yuffie's eyes widened as her father roughly slapped her. "It's time you grew up and took your place, Yuffie."

Yuffie glared at him, fighting back the urge to bring a hand to her cheek – she wasn't going to show him weakness. Underneath his dark stare, Yuffie fidgeted, her storm grey eyes eventually falling to the floor. "What do you want me to do?"

"You are going to be married to Lord Chekov here; he will make you into the proper woman."

Yuffie blinked, looking around her father to Chekov. Inwardly she suppressed a shudder as she looked at the man approaching Godo and herself, his dark eyes piercing her like another certain male always did, and his dark hair short and he seemed to walk with a grace – something she didn't possess.

"Thank you for her hand, my lord," Chekov said, his eyes moving from Yuffie's to Godo's and back again. "I will take good care of her."

Yuffie suppressed another shudder, but placed a fake smile on her features. "I'm still going to Vincent's party on the weekend."

"No wife of mine will be partying – especially with another male."

Yuffie glared at him, sticking her tongue out. "I didn't remember asking you."

Yuffie let out as gasp as Chekov pushed past Godo, roughly grabbing Yuffie's arm and dragging her close to him. "You will listen to me, Miss. Kisaragi, or else. As of today, your friends – especially all those men – you will slowly push them away."

Yuffie pushed back against his words, her hands trying to push him away. "Why should I listen to you? You don't care – you never cared before now!"

Yuffie tried – and failed – to hold back a cry as Chekov hit hard across the cheek. She stumbled as Chekov let go of her, her hands quickly moving to her face as she glared heatedly at Chekov. "Bastard; if you ever –"

"Such language," Chekov shook his head as he tightly grabbed Yuffie's upper arm, making the younger girl wince. "I suppose we'll have to work on that too . . . don't worry Lord Godo, Yuffie will be the proper woman in no time at all."

Yuffie fought back another shiver at Chekov's words and the look he gave her . . . she didn't like it.

Where was Vincent when she needed him? Wait, did she just think that?

"Final stop: Nibelheim port. We'll be arriving in ten minutes, please pack your belongings and prepare to make port."

Yuffie frowned, looking over her shoulder at the speaker box. She closed her storm grey eyes as she rested her head on her folded arms, she didn't have any belongings, not really. Rubbing a gloved hand under her eyes, Yuffie leaned down to pick up the small backpack resting at her feet. She frowned as she picked it up, strapping it onto her back.

"How pathetic am I?" she mumbled to herself, the pack light on her back. "Twenty-two and I can fit all my things in a bag."

She shook her head, pulling her worn and thin coat closer to her smaller frame – not that it did any good to ward off the cold night. Her footsteps echoed against the metal flooring beneath her, feeling out of place as she walked across the deck, her storm grey eyes watching the people around her and those coming out of the small rooms the ship offered. She watched the people laugh, joke and horseplay before her – how she wished she could do that again, it had been so long . . .

Three years, she thought with a frown. I wonder if he still lives here?

She allowed a ghost of a smile to appear across her features as she saw the once small town. The town had grown slightly, a handful of lights still burning in the middle of the night. She sighed; Vincent probably wasn't living there anymore. He was never one for crowds . . . and if Nibelheim had gotten slightly busier, he'd have gone . . . Yuffie frowned. She didn't know, she didn't know anything – she'd been cut off for the past three years.

Yuffie perked up as she heard a knock on the door downstairs. She inwardly grinned; Tifa had gotten her text message. She had sent the bartender a text message last night, asking for help and where she was.

"Tifa . . ."

Yuffie grinned brightly – she hadn't done that for weeks, it felt weird. She pushed herself up from the bed, the white covers falling away from her body. She bit down on her lip as she brought the covers back up to cover her body and the marks that adorned her once white skin. Securing the sheet around her tiny frame, she shivered as her bare feet hit the hardwood flooring. A hand on the wall for support, Yuffie made her way towards the door, slowly opening it. As she moved into the hallway, her storm grey eyes trained on the stairwell, she could hear Chekov open the door.

"What do you want?" she heard him say coldly.

Whoever was at the door wasn't that easily distracted. "Where's Yuffie?"

Yuffie's heart leapt, it was Tifa.

"Yuffie?" Yuffie grit her teeth at the well played confusion in Chekov's voice. "She'd be in Pagoda if she's even in Wutai."

Creeping closer to the stairwell, Yuffie reached a hand out for the railing before pausing. Her eyes widening, her body temperature rising, she cast a look down, cursing herself. The floor had creaked beneath her and everything had gone silent downstairs. Her mind called out for Tifa, too frozen to actually call for the bartender.

"What was that?" Nothing ever escaped Tifa's ears.

"That was my wife," Chekov said nonchalant with a shrug. "She's been feeling under the weather; I've been taking care of her."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. Sure he was taking care of her . . . she couldn't leave the house without his permission (which was never) and his harsh ways of treating her – like she was nothing but dirt . . .

"I see," Yuffie could hear the doubt in Tifa's voice. "When you see Yuffie . . . you let her know we were here, we'll be in town for a couple days."

We? Yuffie's mind shouted. Who was she with – was everyone here?

"The Pagoda is your best bet," came Chekov's final response, the door closing.

Yuffie sighed; she was going to get in trouble again. She leaned back against the wall, slipping down against the wall, resting her head on her knees. She was a fool sending Tifa that text message. She heard Chekov locking the door up downstairs – she shuddered, she dreaded him coming upstairs – when she heard Tifa's voice from the open window above her head.

"She has to be here somewhere . . . you saw that message, she's in trouble, Vincent."

Vincent was here? Her heart beat picked up, he was worried about her. Or, did he just come because Tifa asked, demanded, he came too?

"Miss. Kisaragi . . ."

Yuffie flinched, pressing her back against the wall as Chekov's voice drifted upstairs, anger in his tone. She sucked in a breath as she retreated back into her mind – she didn't want to get hurt again. Yuffie looked blankly back at Chekov as he came loudly upstairs, stopping before her. She didn't look at him – she didn't want too.

"Where is it?" She knew what he wanted, but remained silent. "Where is your damn cell phone?"

"Hidden . . . it's mine."

She let out a cry as Chekov roughly grabbed her arm, dragging her small frame up off the floor. She winced as he tightened his grip, her arm feeling numb. She tried to pry his fingers back, but that only made him grip her tighter. "You belong to me, Kisaragi," he whispered in her ear, making chills go up her spine. "Whatever belonged to you is now mine as well. If you give me that cell phone, I won't be as rough on you."

Yuffie stared at the floor beneath them – he wanted her last lifeline . . .

"It's . . . in our room . . . safely hidden," she whispered, running a hand beneath her eyes.

She let out a gasp as Chekov let go of her arm, dropping her unceremoniously to the ground. "You're such a good wife . . . the proper woman."

Yuffie held her head high, trying to blink the tears away that threatened to fall as she made her way towards Chekov's room. She held the sheet close to her body as she walked, aware that Chekov's eyes stayed on the sheet's hem and the way his hands had lingered on her bare shoulders.

It was going to be one of those nights . . .

Lost in her thoughts, Yuffie jumped, letting out a stifled scream as a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Her storm grey eyes widened as she whirled around, her hands falling away from her thin coat; the coat fluttering open as the zipper had been broken a while ago.

"W – What do you want?"

As she looked closer, she noticed that it was only one of the sailors that worked on the ship. She tried to smile at him, something she hadn't done in ages, as he looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Are you okay Miss?"

Yuffie nodded slowly, her body relaxing as she sighed. "I'm fine . . ."

She smiled at him as he ushered her towards the ramp onto the harbor docks. Yuffie frowned as she saw the many people milling around – no one would be waiting for her. She doubted they ever wanted to see her again – probably thought she was dead – she hadn't been seen for the past three years. She shook her head to the sailor as he asked her if anyone was waiting for her arrival. She was aware of his eyes looking worriedly after her as she left the ship, disappearing into the crowd.

"I hope Vince's here," she mumbled to herself, heading into the once small town.

Her footsteps sounded against the cobbled street as she dodged people here and there. She was aware of the looks that they threw her when they thought she wasn't looking. Yuffie didn't care as she sat down on the rim of the now working fountain in the middle of the town – or was it a city now? She knew people would look down on her appearance, who wouldn't?

She hadn't seen the sun for the majority of the past three years so her once tanned skin looked white in a sick sort of way she thought. Her short black hair had grown out to the middle of her back and she had tied it back into a ponytail hurriedly as she ran to catch the ship before it left the Wutai harbor. She twirled one of the loose strands around her gloved finger, maybe she should cut it again . . . she never had liked the longer hair; she'd only done it so Chekov would leave her alone. The clothes she wore seemed to draw even more attention to her; in a town that hardly ever slept to see a young girl like that wandering around town in a worn out pair of pajamas, an old, worn and broken coat sizes to big covering her shivering body.

Yuffie sighed, ignoring the looks and whispered words she heard about herself from the people passing her by – she had expected it. They thought of her of a whore, someone just looking for a good time; why else would she be in pajamas they whispered.

Her bag sitting beside her, Yuffie unzipped the small bag, her gloved hands sifting through the things she had managed to hide throughout the year. A couple kunai sat in the bottom of her bag, a couple pieces of her favorite clothing and her cherished mementos filling the rest of the bag. She smiled when she found the small porcelain container she had gotten for her nineteen birthday – Vincent had given it to her – and delicately pulled the top off, a worn, folded picture inside it.

She smiled as she unfolded the picture. "I wish we could go back to that day," she mumbled, running a finger over the photo.

It was taken just after everything had ended in Midgar and before she had gone back to Wutai. Everyone from AVALANCE was in the photo, even Shelke was in it. Of course the Tsviet hadn't wanted her photo taken, but had been dragged in by Reeve, somehow Yuffie didn't think the brunette minded, a small smile on her face. Tifa and Cloud had their hands intertwined, Cid and Barret each had a cup of something in their hands, Cait was on Red's head and she noticed herself flashing a peace sign to the camera, Vincent behind her. She hadn't noticed it at first, but the more she looked at it, she noticed that the gunslinger had been looking at her.

She always wondered what that meant . . . what would have happened had she not gone back to Wutai.

Slowly, she folded the picture back up and placing it in the container, stowed it carefully back into her small bag. She wished she still had the bracelet, Vincent had bought her a bracelet the colour of Leviathan, and it was so pretty. But, when Chekov found it, he threw it out much to her tantrum.

"She's almost as strange as he is, do you think he summoned her?"

"Really? Do you think he'd want her?"

Yuffie's head snapped up. She knew they were talking about her, but . . . who was he? She forced back the wish, the hope that they were talking about Vincent; she just couldn't see him hanging out and partying with the locals. She smiled slightly, that wasn't her gunslinger. Quickly, Yuffie picked up her small bag, making her way towards the two girls – they couldn't have been any older then she was.

"Excuse me."

The girl's paused, looking back at the dark haired woman in pajamas. They fidgeted as Yuffie came to a stop before them; obviously they'd hoped she wasn't talking to them.

"What do you want? We're in a hurry."

Yuffie looked their clothes; they had to have been expensive. No doubt, they believed she was beneath them; not that she blamed them, she was beneath everyone. "I heard you talking about a man. I actually came here looking for someone, but I don't know if he still lives here . . ."

The girl's let out a laugh. "I told you she was here for him."

The second one nodded. "I suppose so," Yuffie noticed her nose curl up as she shot Yuffie a look. "That Manor at the top of town – the guy never leaves it. I can see why, he just calls people like you. See he is social – why don't you go see him?" The second one said to her companion, wiggling her eyebrows.

Yuffie rolled her eyes, leaving the two giggling girls behind her. If it was Vincent – he wouldn't want their company, especially not in the way they thought. She couldn't see Vincent having a one night stand with anyone, not after his past, especially not with airhead girls like that.

"Will you remember me, Vincent?" she asked herself as she made her way out of the bright city, her storm grey eyes locked on the looming manor.

She noticed that the closer she got to the old ShinRa Manor, the darker the city became, drawing Yuffie's attention that the houses didn't stretch out this way. The streetlights were mostly off as well, the odd light flickering ominously. Yuffie didn't pay the streetlights any attention, she seemed to like the darkness better, and she was used to it.

Reaching the Manor, Yuffie paused outside the iron gates that surrounded the property. She bit down on her lip, her fingers curled around the bars of the gate. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she pushed against the gate, the metal swinging open quietly. Storm grey eyes looked across the property, from what she could see, it looked immaculate. The grass seemed cut, and there was a stone path leading up the old Manor. The Manor didn't look as horrible as it did years ago, the windows and door had been replaced, the sidings had been redone and a porch had been added onto the front.

Taking a deep breath, Yuffie moved forward, stepping onto the property. She could hear the Iron Gate close behind her, wincing as the Iron Gate clanged loudly as it collided in the slight breeze. She felt her heart stop as a light turned on in the old Manor, and if her memory served her correctly, it was the living room.

"It's just Vincent, it's just Vincent," she chanted to herself, forcing herself to continue up the stone pathway. "It's just . . ."

She froze, halfway up the stone pathway as the heavy front door opened, a silhouette in the doorway. "Who's there?"

Yuffie's voice caught in her throat – she'd know that silhouette anywhere. Although his dark red cloak wasn't on him, she could tell. The silhouette was tall, dark hair fell across him, and from the bulge on his hip which no doubt held his Death Penalty and what looked like a glint of light off his one hand, she knew.

"Vincent."

It was only a whisper, but she knew he would be able to hear her through the wind and the music and yelling from the city below the Manor. Her storm grey eyes locked on the silhouette, making her way slowly up the stone path. She watched the silhouette, pausing as she noticed his hand moving to the holster on his hip.

"Whatever you want, go away. I doubt I'm interested."

Yuffie shook her head, dropping her small bag onto the ground. She felt her body go numb as she moved closer, shaking her head as Vincent's silhouette move to close the front door. "Vincent . . . don't; I need your help."

She saw Vincent pause; she wished she could see his face. Being this far away from him, she had no idea how much she had really missed him.

Vincent paused, his hand on the doorknob. That voice – it sounded so much like Yuffie. He shook his head; he couldn't allow himself to believe that was Yuffie. The hyperactive ninja had disappeared three years ago much to his grief, after all these years . . . he had finally convinced himself Yuffie had died. After that text message she had sent Tifa asking for help, saying she was in big trouble, no one had heard from her. Her phone was disabled, saying that the number was no longer in service. They never located her in Wutai and nobody really knew where she was. Chekov, Godo's second in command, had taken control of Wutai – something Yuffie never would have allowed if she was still alive.

But that voice . . . it sounded just like her – but like a broken woman at the same time.

He closed his crimson eyes momentarily, his grip tight on the doorknob. "Yuffie . . ." He had never mentioned it to anyone, but he missed the younger ninja.

"Yes . . . Vincent, I . . . I need your help."

Vincent opened his crimson eyes, pausing as the younger girl appeared in the dim light from his hallway. Her hair was longer; she was thinner and paler then him and was dressed in pajamas a coat that clearly couldn't have been hers. His mind went blank as the girl stood there, biting down on her lip as she ran a hand up her other arm – all ticks that Yuffie did when she was nervous about something. Vincent shook his head . . . she was supposed to be dead . . .

"Yuffie . . ."

He watched as Yuffie glanced briefly at him before returning her eyes back to the grass. He didn't know what to say as he saw the traces of unshed tears in her eyes as she briefly locked eyes with him. She seemed so different . . . not like the hyper teenager she had been; she would have just run up and pushed him aside before flopping onto his couch, telling him she was staying the night. Yuffie . . . she seemed like she didn't even want to come near him, like she was afraid . . .

"Where have you been?" he eventually asked, breaking the silence.

Yuffie didn't say anything, she didn't move. Yuffie wanted to say something, to run and hug the gunslinger she'd thought about for the past three years, but etiquette made her stop. He wasn't hers . . . she was taken. She shook her head, feeling the tears come to her eyes as she thought that. She let out a sigh as she brought her gloved hands to her eyes, running them underneath. Distantly, Yuffie heard the sounds of Vincent's crunching steps underneath the grass, her body freezing as she felt Vincent's hands rest on her shoulders, pulling her to him.

"Are you okay, what happened?" Slowly, Yuffie brought her hands up; grabbing a fistful of Vincent's dark shirt as he tentatively brought the confused girl closer to him. "Come on, let's get you inside."

Yuffie shook her head, pulling away from Vincent, her grip falling from his shirt. "I can't . . . I shouldn't be here . . . I have to go, I'm sorry."

Vincent shook his head as Yuffie turned away from him, heading away from him. Vincent shook his head, reaching out for Yuffie, gripping her arm. He blinked as Yuffie let out a scream as he stopped her, he quickly let her go. Vincent watched as Yuffie brought her arms close to her body, dropping herself to the ground, drawing her knees up. Vincent raised an eyebrow at her actions, before kneeling down beside her.

"You're not going anywhere tonight Yuffie, you need some sleep."

Yuffie shook her head. "I can't . . . he'll wake up and I won't be there."

Vincent shook his head, picking Yuffie up effortlessly. He frowned, Yuffie seemed lighter then she had been the last time he'd seen her. Yuffie shook her head, trying to protest, demanding to be put down, but it was wasted on Vincent. He easily carried her into his house, closing the door with his foot. He sighed as Yuffie shifted in his arms, her storm grey eyes closing.

"I knew you'd come for me, Vincent."

Vincent sighed, a frown marring his features at Yuffie's mumbled words as he started up the curved stairwell. What had happened to their cheerful and energetic ninja?

---

Tonight, out on the street, out in the moonlight
And dammit this feels too right, it's just like deja vu
Me standing here with you
So I'll be holding my own breath, could this be the end
Is it that moment when, I find the one that I'll spend forever with

Gotta Be Somebody -- Nickelback

---

A/N: I know the first chapters strange and jumps around a little bit, but it will all be explained. You might even be able to guess what happened to Yuffie in Wutai. But, since Fly into the Night's finally finished, I've been itching to start another long (but not *that* long) story.

R&R

A/N2: Slight change, as I have decided to weave some of the Almost-Finalized Soundtrack into the storyline. I felt that these two songs were the best way to describe what is going on in the story. The first song by 3 Doors Down has, by this point (Nov. 2008) has been chosen as the theme song for the whole story line regarding what is going on with Yuffie. I won't elaborate on that, you'll have to find that out yourselves. As for the Nickelback song, it just seemed to fit with her ending up on Vincent's doorstep, in real need of his help. Yet again, can't go into great detail about why it was chosen.