Here it is, the story you've all been waiting for... the one I've finally come up with a title for! I know, the title sucks. I might change it later...
I really hope it's everything y'all wanted in a kick off chapter! I'll try to update by Sunday :D I'm super excited that this is finally being published!
I'd like to thank my betareader, VervainGirl for her awesome suggestions :D I'm telling you, she can pick out adjectives and verbs and replace them with more meaningful stuff really well! :) Thank you!
Disclaimer: I may not own FF7, but I'm still happy with my life :}
Vincent lay unmoving atop his sheets, staring blankly at the cracking plaster on the ceiling of Shinra Manor. He blinked slowly, his face expressionless and void. Somewhere, he heard tiny ninja footsteps as they moved almost silently through the mansion, quiet as a mouse.
The sound of a dripping faucet in the background echoed hollowly in Vincent's mind. After a moment, a soft knock on the bedroom door tore Vincent out of the recesses of his desolate thoughts. The door opened quietly, and Yuffie peeked her head in.
"We're leaving."
She can't even bear to utter a sentence to me, Vincent thought miserably, and every time pain flashed in her eyes, his heart broke a little more. The door shut again, and he sat up, running a gloved hand through his dark hair. Vincent stood up stiffly and walked out of his room, his movements jerky and forced. As he made his way through the hallway, he passed a room with its door left open- probably Yuffie's doing.
The red rose themed nursery in Shinra Manor, the same place Tifa and Yuffie had designed while Vincent was gone in search of Rosso. A mattress rested on the floor, blankets strewn about the top of it. Vincent sighed, closing the door behind him. He'd berated Yuffie on the first night she moved in there, the night their daughter had died. He pleaded that she not sleep there, that it wasn't healthy for her to be staying in their daughter's old room. She'd slapped him and accused him of not loving Rimmy, and he'd held the ninja against his chest, wrapping his arms around her and whispering that their daughter had meant everything to him, and so did she. He tried convincing Yuffie to abandon the nursery, but she refused. She was so distraught, so broken that she couldn't see the heartbreak in Vincent's eyes, the need for him to have his ninja sleeping by his side just to get him through the agony that accompanied the night.
A week had passed since Valencia's death, and Yuffie had barely spoken a word to Vincent. She avoided him like the plague, and he feared they would not last much longer as they were.
A dismal past with an uncertain future… And all I want is to fight off the darkness with her. I can't do this alone, Yuffie.
"Hey, Vince," Cid greeted the gunslinger as he approached the Shera. The pilot patted Vincent on the back and gave him a sympathetic smile. "How are you, man?"
Vincent let his eyes drift to Yuffie, the woman standing beside Tifa with a far-off look in her eyes. "She… she refuses to speak to me… She won't even leave the nursery. Cid, what do I do?"
Cid glanced at the ninja and shook his head. "Vince, I really don't know."
They boarded the Shera, and Vincent stepped out of the way to usher Yuffie on, trying to help the ninja up. She shrugged him off, pushing him away with venom. Vincent stared after her, his face portraying nothing.
Vincent boarded last, following everyone into the area reserved for meetings. The gunslinger worried over the chill in the air, glancing at Yuffie occasionally, seeing as how the ninja wore so little, even in the cold. He unclasped his cloak and draped it around her shoulders, trying to convince Yuffie to warm up to him again. Yuffie growled in annoyance and flung the cloak off her body, refusing to look at him. The gunslinger sighed, his attempts at making peace with the woman he loved proving to be futile.
Tifa watched the crimson-eyed ex-Turk, her heart filling with sorrow for him. She could tell he was trying to do everything in his power to make Yuffie happy, but she wasn't giving him the chance. Frankly, thought Tifa, the gunman was doing a damn good job. On most other occasions, Vincent would take off and lock himself in his room to brood. That was how she knew Vincent loved Yuffie beyond compare – he was pointedly sticking around after all of her spite towards him to try and make her happy, rather than running off to be alone as usual.
"Yuffie," Tifa beckoned. "Will you come with me?"
Yuffie glanced up, her pout disappearing. Vacantly, she nodded, drifting over to the barmaid. Vincent moved to follow, but Tifa winked at him, letting him know that she was on his side and trying to help. Vincent paused, and then nodded, a visible thanks on his face.
Tifa dragged Yuffie off to a secluded spot out by a rail, where the biting wind whipped at their faces, making both women shiver. Tifa pulled the ninja into a warm hug, stroking her hair.
"Oh, Yuffie, dear, I'm so sorry! How are you?" Tifa released her and peered into her teary eyes.
Yuffie shook her head, admitting, "I've never felt so lost."
"Vincent's trying, you know?" Tifa ventured, collecting a strand of her hair and tucking it behind her ear. She continued to play with the ends of her hair, a nervous habit.
Yuffie remained quiet for a moment, gazing out at the dreary sky moving by. In her pit of despair, she didn't even feel the airsickness that usually plagued her. Every bit of pain she felt was all in her heart, the sensation at once brutal and sharp.
"Yuffie, don't push him out-"
"What do you know, you're just a busty barmaid with the perfect life! You've got Cloud, Denzel, and Marlene, and I've got Vincent – the half-demon with the tragic past and the sins to atone for, and a dead daughter! Don't you get it!? I got the short end, Tifa!" Stunned by her sudden outburst, Tifa gave Yuffie a stern look.
"Yuffie, you have no right to speak like that. I understand that you're grieving, but I'll be damned before I let you go around talking nonsense."
Yuffie laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. "What are you gonna do, boobs, disown me? You're not my freaking mom, you're just a nosy bitch who thinks she can be the world's next Aerith. Well, wake up, Tifa. You are the world's new Aerith. That's why Cloud keeps you around, as a replacement. That's why Marlene looks up to you, as a replacement. That's why you act like a motherly, loving woman, because that's how Aerith acted. You aren't Tifa, you're just what everyone else wants you to be."
Tifa's lip trembled. Quietly, she demanded through a teary voice, "I am not Aerith!"
Yuffie simpered. "Could have fooled us. But you're right. Given the choice, each and every one of us would trade you in for her. We don't want you around, we want Aeris back."
Yuffie spun on her heel and stalked away, leaving Tifa shouting, "I am not Aerith! I am not Aerith! I am not a replacement! I'm not everyone's Aerith!"
She collapsed to the floor, never having felt so betrayed and used before. "Am I really a replacement?"
When Cloud found Tifa on the deck sobbing, he knelt beside her. "Teef?"
Miserably, Tifa asked, "Do you only love me because Aerith isn't here anymore? Am I just your replacement!?"
Cloud hesitated, wanting to ask Tifa what she had meant. Tifa mistook his hesitation as a yes, and stumbled out of his arms. "I… I need to be alone."
Cloud sighed, leaning against the rail. "AVALANCHE… What's to become of us?"
"Yuffie?" Vincent's voice inquired through the door to her room. He heard footsteps padding to the door, and to his relief, Yuffie opened it voluntarily. He took in her red eyes, puffy from crying, and pulled the ninja into his arms.
"Don't cry."
Yuffie choked into his cloak, her tears wetting the material. Vincent picked her up and closed the door, setting Yuffie down gently on the bed. He held her tightly and kissed her forehead.
"What happened?"
Yuffie hid her face in Vincent's chest, mumbling, "I said some things to Tifa I didn't mean."
"Like what, Yuffie?" Vincent asked softly, placing feather-light kisses to her cheeks. Yuffie stroked his chest idly.
"I told her she was our replacement for Aeris. I told her that that's the only reason Cloud loved her, and we'd trade her in to get Aeris back if we could."
Vincent sighed, shaking his head. "Yuffie, you need to think about what you say. Filter, love." He pulled Yuffie closer to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as she nuzzled her face into his hair. He let his hands drift down Yuffie's body, tracing the lines of her stomach. Oddly, the flat expanse seemed to be softer, an inch or two given, but he figured it was because she had birthed a child not but two or three months prior.
"I know. I feel bad about it, but I was so angry, I didn't know how to control it."
"Hmm, I know what that is like," Vincent commented, a light chuckle escaping his lips. He brushed his mouth across Yuffie's, holding her gently. A sudden fear of rejection and self-doubt hit him. He reached for Yuffie's hand and held it close.
"Yuffie, please don't revert into yourself. Talk to me." Yuffie gazed into the gunslinger's red eyes. She traced his lips with a tiny finger.
"I love you, Vinnie."
Vincent sighed, his heart feeling right for once. She called me Vinnie again.
"I love you, my Little Rose."
When Tifa went in search of Yuffie again, she found her cuddled in Vincent's arms, both of them sleeping on top of the sheets on Yuffie's bed. Tifa smiled.
She made her way over to the bed and gently tapped Vincent. He opened his blood red eyes and raised an eyebrow.
Softly, Tifa whispered, "We're here."
Vincent nodded, his arm going beneath Yuffie's knees as he lifted her up. He carried her off of the Shera, careful not to wake her. The group moved quietly through the slums, the streets undisturbed by their presence. Nanaki trotted beside Tifa, his tail swishing.
"It appears that Vincent and Yuffie have made up."
Tifa smiled and replied, "I think they have." She glanced over at the gunslinger carrying the ninja bridal style, her head resting in the crook of her arm, eyes still closed with sleep. Reeve leaned over, the small coffin in his arms.
"This is perhaps the most painful thing I have ever done."
Tifa nodded, her eyes tearing up. She took in the wooden box, its finish a deep red mahogany, little golden roses engraved within the wood. A plaque on the coffin read The Single Red Rose. Vincent had it custom made, paying a good sum of gil for the coffin. It was barely the size of a baby doll bed. Inside was the little angel whom Yuffie and Vincent adored.
When they entered the old church, the lilies seemed to glow. Vincent placed Yuffie on one of the pews, kissing her cheek. "Little Rose, wake up."
Yuffie stirred, blinking sleepily. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in Aerith's old church. She gripped Vincent's hand, stifling her sobs. The gunslinger helped the ninja to stand, wrapping an arm around her waist gingerly. They gathered around a hole in the lilies that was roughly the length of Vincent's claw, only slightly wider.
Vincent took the coffin from Reeve, his movements delicate as he accepted it, almost as though he was back at Seventh Heaven, holding Valencia Rimmy for the first time. He brushed his fingers across the cool surface, his skin tingling. He'd taken off his glove just so he could feel his daughter's presence one last time. Pressing a kiss to the smooth surface, Vincent knelt by the shallow grave and placed the coffin inside, trying to block out Yuffie's sob. His own face contorted in pain, and he let himself kneel beside the hole in the earth, letting the pain lessen.
After a moment, the gunslinger stood and pulled Yuffie to him. She wrapped her arms around him, crying loudly. He could feel her shoulders shake.
Finally, Vincent whispered, "Goodbye, sweet angel," and tossed a red and white rose onto the coffin lid.
Yuffie stepped away from Vincent, wiped her eyes, and managed, "Bye, baby girl." She tossed her own red and white rose onto the grave. She turned her head into Vincent's chest and the gunslinger struggled to keep his face passive. Pain radiated in his crimson eyes darker than the night, however, and the entire group could tell that he was nearing the point of breaking down.
Tifa only said, "Aeris, take care of her for us, please," before she tossed her roses in.
Cloud said nothing, but placed his flowers delicately atop her coffin. Barret and Nanaki did the same, only placing their flowers on the coffin and remaining silent.
Cid kissed Shera softly and stepped forward, taking a deep breath and beginning, "Kiddo, you were one cute little baby. You're mom might've been a nutcase, but I had the feelin' you were gonna be just fine. Damn, this is sad… I always saw myself as your grandpa – even though that confirms all Yuffie's teasin' 'bout me being old. You were my grandkid, and always will be, just as Yuffie's like my own daughter." Cid squeezed Yuffie's shoulder as he made his way to the grave and dropped the roses on it, shaking his head .
Reeve sighed and whispered, "I'm sorry, Valencia, that this happened. You're parents love you." Cait Sith moved forward and set the roses in the grave.
Silently, little Marlene crept forward. She leaned down by the coffin and said, "You were gonna be awesome, you know that? Aeris told me. She said you were gonna be the prettiest little thing, and you were going to be as great a ninja as Yuffie and shoot even better than Uncle Vinnie! She said you would change Wutai, too. I'm sorry you don't get to do that now."
Yuffie was silent, and Vincent's grip around her waist tightened minutely. Barret's eyes widened and he pulled Marlene back, whispering, "Honey, you can't go around sayin' stuff like that."
Tifa knelt by the young girl and asked, "Sweetie, when did Aerith tell you that?"
Marlene tilted her head, replying, "She told me in a dream the night before Rimmy died."
Yuffie brushed out of Vincent's embrace and walked away, her footsteps eerie in the silent church. Vincent sighed and then picked up a shovel, helping Cid to cover the grave with dirt. When he finished, Vincent planted a red rose seed in the dirt and stuck a trellis in the ground. He pulled his Cerberus Relief off and hung it from the white wood. The top bar on the trellis read the same inscription as her coffin plaque, but it also had her name on it. Valencia Rimmy Valentine.
Yuffie hadn't fought him on the last name, rather, she liked that it was Valentine and not Kisaragi. She'd disgraced the Kisaragi name, at least her daughter could rest in the ground without ridicule.
As everyone poured out of the church, Vincent turned and whispered, "Rimmy, my little angel, I will find a way to fix this."
Vincent slipped into Yuffie's room, searching for his love. It had been an hour since they left the somewhat-of-a-funeral, and he'd yet to find the ninja. "Yuffie, are you in here?"
Silence greeted him, and Vincent's eye twitched. It would be just like her to send him on a wild goose chase trying to find her. He backed out of the room, deciding to call it quits, and entered his own. He went to hit the lights, but he heard a soft whimpering sound. Inaudibly, Vincent strolled to the side of his bed, finding Yuffie curled up under his sheets asleep. Her face had softened, and a slight smile graced her features.
She's smiling, Vincent thought, letting the pull of her lips warm his heart. He kissed her forehead and slid into the bed beside her, drawing her body to his and wrapping his arm around her. He tucked her head into his neck and closed his eyes, hoping he'd dream something pleasant like Yuffie.
He'd only been sleeping for three hours when he was awakened. Vincent's ear perked up when he heard the sound of scuffling. Slowly and silently, Vincent sat up in his bed, glancing over at the form of the ninja sleeping beside him. He set his feet on the floor and stood. Instinct told him that something was terribly wrong.
The cackling noise that ensued chilled Vincent to the bone. That voice! Vincent gasped, reaching out and throwing the light switch up, his heart hammering as panic flooded his body.
"No!" he growled, terrified of the figure standing at the foot of his bed.
"Hello, Vincent Valentine," the thick accent drawled. Red hair swayed. "I've came to finish what we started, dear. I will be seeing you soon, no doubt?" In a flash, the woman was gone, and Vincent spun around, trying to find where she disappeared to. The sight of red caught his eye, and he turned to it quickly.
His face paled and his heart stopped. He felt his knees go weak when he stumbled back to the bed. "No, no, no!"
Yuffie's prone form lay sprawled in odd angles, her limbs limp and tangled. The previously white sheets were stained red from the large hole in her chest, her heart missing from the spot and her body leaking blood. It flowed like a fountain, soaking the bed and dripping to the floor.
"Yuffie!" Vincent cried, grabbing the dead ninja and crushing her to his chest. "Not my Yuffie – oh, please, not my Yuffie!" He rocked Yuffie against his body, tears cascading down his face. Twice he had cried, both times because Rosso had taken someone he loved from him.
"Yuffie, Yuffie, Yuffie," Vincent repeated, cradling her head to his chest. He shook in rage and sorrow, kissing her forehead over and over again. "How could she have done this to you!? I was with you, I had you in my arms! How did she manage to kill you while I was holding you!? Yuffie, I'm so sorry! I promised to protect you, I should have protected you…"
Vincent lay down on the cold floor, placing Yuffie's delicate body against his. He wrapped one arm around her waist and kept one hand tangled in her hair, keeping her head to his chest. His heart felt like it had been sent through a paper shredder, like he had been squeezed so hard that his organs were bursting through his skin. First his daughter, now his love… The pain, so excruciating, threatened to kill Vincent right there, grief and heartache the shining blade in his stomach, the drop of poison on his lips, the bullet residing in his skull, the noose around the his neck, the vast abyss he drowned within. "Not my Yuffie!"
He heard a shriek, and the corners of his mind registered it to belong to Tifa, but he didn't care. He kept whispering, "Not my Yuffie. Please, not my Yuffie."
He watched Tifa kneel beside him, shaking his shoulder and calling, "Vincent! Vincent!"
He ignored her through his tears. He tried to block out the sheer agony that coursed through his veins and attacked his brain. His Yuffie, the woman he loved, the piece that fit perfectly to complete the puzzle of his life, ripped from his arms.
"Vincent! Vincent, please!"
"VINCENT!"
Vincent sprung up in bed, finding himself encased in Yuffie's warm arms. Vincent gasped, pulling the ninja to sit up as he inspected her.
"Yuffie, you are unharmed?"
"What do you mea- Vinnie, it's alright! You had a nightmare." Yuffie smiled softly at Vincent, cupping his face in her hands. She kissed the bridge of his nose, feeling the rapid heartbeat of the gunslinger pressed against her.
"My Yuffie," Vincent breathed, relief washing out of him in a wave. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck, rocking the ninja. "You are safe."
"Course I am!" Yuffie cried, smacking his arm lightly. "I'm with you, aren't I?"
Vincent shook his head. "I –I couldn't save you! I was holding you, and I couldn't save you, Yuffie! She got past me, I don't know how, but-"
"Vince," Yuffie whispered, placing her cheek against his forehead. "It was just a nightmare. I'm here with you, it's going to be fine."
Vincent placed Yuffie against the pillows, hovering over her gently. After kissing her lips, he caressed her cheek. "Get some sleep, Little Rose."
Yuffie smiled and latched onto his claw, tucking it under her chin. "Night, Vinnie."
"Goodnight, love." Vincent watched her sleep, barely blinking. He couldn't bring himself to sleep, too afraid that Rosso would come and snatch his ninja from him.
Tifa watched the stars, seeking out constellations she knew well. She leaned her head on her palm, resting over the rail. When the sound of footsteps grew near, she turned.
"Cloud," Tifa greeted dully. She turned her attention back to the sky, reveling in the wondrous sight of the billions of diamonds twinkling at her from the black satin blanket. She traced lazy circles on the rail and sighed dreamily.
"Tifa, we need to talk."
Tifa shook her head. "No, Cloud. You need to talk. You need to ask yourself why you're in this relationship. You left me and the children during the Geostigma crises. You abandoned us! How often did you go off chasing down some notion that you could bring Aeris back?"
Cloud sighed. "I never believed I could bring her-"
"Bullshit." Tifa glared hard at the swordsman, crossing her arms across her chest. Her burgundy eyes looked wild, anger evident. "I loved you!"
"And I love you-"
"Stop it!" Tifa begged, turning her back to Cloud. She pressed her hands to her heart and pleaded, "Quit doing this to me, Cloud. You've always had me hanging on a string. You always made sure you gave me just enough hope that when you needed to, you could come and screw me, and then you could take off again, leaving me with some notion that you might love me. It was all a lie. You never loved me, you've always loved Aerith."
"Aerith is gone, Tifa-"
"And I'm second choice! I've always been that! Well, you know what? I'm done with it. I need to move on, Cloud, to find someone who loves me for me, completely and irrevocably. I can't keep playing whore to you, I want to be loved. I'm tired of waiting."
"You aren't my whore, Tifa!"
"Damn right, I'm not!" Tifa brushed past Cloud and stormed into the Shera, her fists clenched. Her heart ached for Cloud, but she couldn't do it anymore.
"Tifa!" Cloud cried. "If I loved Aerith, why was it you that I wanted on the night before Meteor? Why did I sleep with you under the Highwind?"
Tifa scoffed. "If you think that's winning you any points, think again. You respected Aerith, you wouldn't have ever thought about sleeping with her without a ring on her finger. But me – I meant nothing. What made you think I was of any less worth than her!? Is it because of my chest? Is it the clothes I wear? Obviously, you thought that taking my virginity was of no consequence, that since it was me, it didn't matter."
"Tifa, how could you say that?" Cloud looked horrified, his eyes wide. "That's not the reason at all!"
Tifa shook her head and walked away. "Well, Cloud, you haven't given me much else to work with."
When she walked away, Cloud raked a hand through his spiky blonde hair. He leaned against the cool rail, thinking over his life. After considering, Cloud decided that Tifa was right, he had made it seem like he cared little for her.
But he loved her... He loved her more than she could ever know...
"Time to go," Vincent whispered, waking Yuffie. She yawned and stretched, sitting up slowly. Vincent helped Yuffie up and wrapped his arm around her, walking her to hatch. They exited the Shera, but Yuffie paused, tugging on Vincent's hand.
"I need to apologize to Teef." Vincent nodded at Yuffie, watching her race off to find Tifa. At that time, Reeve approached him.
"We might have located Rosso. She seems to be hiding in the Northern Crater at the moment. I have dispatched a W.R.O. unit to check things out. As soon as I find out anything, you'll be the first to know."
"Thank you, Reeve," Vincent said quietly. His dream returned to him suddenly, and the gunslinger took a deep breath to clear his head. He spotted Yuffie returning, a curious expression on her face. "Yuffie, is everything alright?"
Yuffie stalked past Vincent, muttering, "I want to go home, Vincent."
Vincent sighed, shaking his head slightly. "It's like taking one step forward and two steps back."
"She will be fine, Vincent," Reeve assured. "She just needs time."
When he made it home, Yuffie was sitting on the step halfway up the stairs, her chin resting in her hands. "Took you long enough."
Vincent decided it would be best not to answer Yuffie, for it only spurred her further. He nodded at Yuffie and replied, "Yuffie, are you hungry?"
Yuffie crossed her arms and leaned back on the step, her eyes narrowing. "What are you cooking?"
"What are you in the mood for?" That proved to be a bad response, as Yuffie jumped up, her eyes ablaze. She stomped her foot on the marble stairs, her tiny body making little to no sound.
"WHAT AM I IN THE MOOD FOR!? Damn you, Vincent! My daughter died and you're asking me what I'm in the mood for!? How about revenge, or justice, or my baby back!?"
Vincent slammed his fist into the wall and shouted, "I've had enough of this, Yuffie! I'm trying to help you, offering to cook whatever you want, and you have to make it seem as if I've wronged you!"
"You don't even care that she's dead!" Yuffie cried, shaking her head at him. "You don't care about anyone!"
"I care about you, Yuffie!" Vincent returned, exasperated and near his breaking point. "And I cared about Valencia, whether you believe it or not. It hurts me that she's gone, but I know how to cope. And don't you accuse me of not loving her, I loved her so much, even if I barely had any time with her. She has her place in my heart."
Yuffie spun around, her back facing the gunslinger. Mockingly, she cut, "You have a funny way of showing it."
"Don't even, Yuffie," Vincent spat, his voice callous. "Do you know how hard this has been for me? You've gone and hidden yourself from me, for an entire week you wouldn't even speak to me! I had to make the damn funeral arrangements, Yuffie, alone, because you wouldn't come out of that damn nursery! I had to face our friends and endure their endless pitying glances, and their damn condolences. I wasn't allowed to lock myself away because people expected me to be strong and take care of the fallout. You left me to do that on my own!"
His gauntleted hand twitched, the claws forming a fist and then unclenching. The anger inside him threatened to bubble over like a volcano, but he was too afraid of hurting Yuffie. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. Vincent stormed off to the kitchen, asking scathingly, "What do you want to eat?"
Yuffie hugged herself tightly and walked down the stairs, her hair hanging in her face. She held back her tears as she mumbled, "Can we have Wutain noodles with stir fry?"
Vincent nodded, his voice shaky as he replied, "Yes, why don't we make a store run?"
"Okay," Yuffie whispered. She turned to leave the kitchen, but Vincent pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her.
"I love you, Yuffie."
She sniffled, feeling tears drop down her cheeks.
"I know."
Yuffie curled up on the couch by the fireplace, a blanket wrapped around her. She glanced at the staircase, wondering if Vincent was out of his shower yet. She leaned her head back on the arm of the couch, nestling into the sofa to keep warm. The huge manor seemed so empty and cold.
"Yuffie?"
Yuffie sat up when she heard Vincent's voice. He stood at the base of the stairs, his hair damp. Yuffie smiled and held her arms out, beckoning him. Vincent walked toward her and scooped her up, holding her close. Yuffie watched as his brow furrowed, an obvious sign that he was deep in thought and considering something important.
Vincent kissed Yuffie's hair and whispered, "We could always have another child, Yuffie."
That stopped Yuffie in her tracks. She shoved Vincent away, seething. The way he stared at her, confused and without hope, only served to anger her more. How could he betray their daughter, just let her memory die when they put her in the ground!?
"It's been one week, Vincent! Already you're talking about replacing her!?"
Now, he was confused thoroughly. He thought that having another baby would make her happy – even if he himself wasn't fond of the prospect of having another baby. He'd do it if it made her happy. Everything he'd done in the past week was to make her happy. He hadn't made her take care of anything having to do with Valencia's death just to make her happy. He didn't pick her up after she fell asleep and move her from the nursery to make her happy. He tried cooking her favorite meals to make her happy. He walked on eggshells, and still nothing worked. He just wanted to make her happy. "I said nothing about replacing Valencia! I'm only trying to make you happy!"
"Well, you suck at it!" Yuffie shouted, her face red. As soon as the words left her mouth, Yuffie desperately wanted to take them back. Vincent's face turned white, his eyebrows furrowing slightly and his eyes dimming. She'd hurt him.
Yuffie stretched her hand out toward him, eyes pleading. "Vincent-"
"Enough," Vincent interrupted, his head hung. "It's alright, Yuffie. I understand. You are right, I cannot make you happy. I've always believed that I cannot, and that is why I left the first time. But, for your sake, I tried, and for Valencia's. It is evident now that nothing I can do will bring you happiness, for I am not what you need. I'm sorry, Yuffie, that I am more of a monster than a man, and that I couldn't love you enough."
The gunslinger turned on his heel, his red cloak drifting behind him. He took a few steps toward the door, each one echoing in the large and empty mansion. "No, Vinnie, don't leave me!"
Vincent ignored her, still making his way to the door. Desperately, Yuffie sprinted after him, the chill in the air seeping into her heart. "I didn't mean it, Vincent, really! You know I spout shit out all the time that I don't mean! Even you said I need a filter, because I just don't think things through, that's all!"
Three more steps. Three more echoes. Three more tears.
"Vincent!" Yuffie screeched, her voice heavy with hurt as she pleaded with the man she loved. "I can't do this without you, Vincent! " By now, Yuffie's voice was thick with tears, the ends of her sentence breaking as she choked on a sob.
"Vincent!"
The door shut, and Yuffie gripped her hair, pulling at it as she wailed one last time, "Vincent!"
Suddenly, a blast of warm, spring-like air soared through the entryhall, wrapping around Yuffie. The ends of her brown hair swirled in the gusting breeze, her shirt billowing at the bottom as it filled with air. The force of the airstream should have knocked Yuffie over, or stolen her breath, but she remained standing, perfectly able to breath. Her heart seemed to warm in the odd current, making her feel comfortable, as if the breeze was a gentle embrace. It smelled of lilies and candy, and Yuffie suddenly knew.
"Aeris?" she choked, her throat thick and heavy with disbelief.
"Hello, Yuffie." Yuffie spun around, her eyes widening at the woman before her. Aerith's emerald eyes shone brightly, contrasting well with her honey-brown hair. The flower girl waltzed toward the ninja, wrapping her in a hug. "How are you, Yuffie?"
Yuffie gestured around, her eyes speaking the extent of her pain. "As you can see, I'm not doing very good."
Aerith cocked her head, a warm smile making its way to her pink lips. "Sweetie, this is a dream. You are asleep, waiting for Vincent on that couch." Aerith pointed to the crimson sofa , directing Yuffie's attention. "When you wake up, he will still be there."
"Wh-why is this happening?" Yuffie asked, confused. She glanced around, wondering if this was some weird premonition.
"I came here to warn you, Yuffie, of what could happen. Don't let Vincent go. I've seen you two together since the start, and you two need each other. Be careful. There is a storm brewing, Yuffie, and you must stick with Vincent if you are to make it through. All of AVALANCHE must stick together, especially Cloud and Tifa." The flower girl smiled, her voice warm even though the words had a dangerous infliction. Yuffie wondered what she meant by the last part.
After a moment, Aeris added, "One more thing – Zack?"
Yuffie's eyes widened as a handsome young man appeared, his hair pitch black and his eyes a brilliant blue. He had a scar on his cheek. "Zack!?"
"Heya, Wutai's Greatest Super Ninja! You remember me, eh? Yeah, I'm pretty hard to forget."
Yuffie smiled at him and replied, "Well, the Wutai part of the equation didn't work out, but I'm still the greatest ninja on the Planet."
Zack tilted his head back, bubbly laughter flowing out. "No doubt about that!"
Aerith smiled at the two, but then stated, "Zack has something to give you."
At that moment, Yuffie realized Zack was holding something in his arms. She made her way over to him, pulling the blanket back. "Leviathan!"
Yuffie pulled the child out of Zack's arms and held her to her chest, little streams running down her face. She bounced the baby, smiling at the coos and laughter that the baby produced. "My Valencia, my little Rimmy! My little Red Rose!"
Scarlet eyes watched Yuffie's face as she danced around. Rimmy's eyes stayed locked on Yuffie's, not leaving for a second. It was as if the baby recognized her mother.
"She's missed you," Aerith confirmed. "She cries for you and Vincent."
"Does she?" Yuffie kissed her daughter's forehead, holding her so close that she could feel feathery breaths on her skin. "I love you, Valencia. Mommy loves you!"
A sigh came from Aerith as the flower girl walked forward, holding her arms out. "I'm sorry, Yuffie. But it is time, we must go now."
Yuffie backed away, holding Rimmy protectively. "No!"
Aerith's heart swelled with compassion, but she focused on the task at hand. "Yuffie, we must go, now."
Yuffie relented, a sob tearing through her body when the warmth of the child left her hands. "Bye, baby girl! Mommy loves you!"
In a second, the scene dissolved, and Yuffie sat up, screaming in agony. Vincent raced down the stairs, crossing the room in seconds.
"Yuffie!?" Yuffie flung herself into Vincent's arms, shaking uncontrollably. Vincent stroked her hair desperately, holding tightly the little ninja to his chest. "Yuffie, what's wrong?"
"I- I held her, Vincent! I dreamed about you and me, and you left me because I said something stupid! And then Aerith appeared, and she warned me about a storm, and about AVALANCHE, and Zack was there, too! And – and Valencia! Aerith let me hold Valencia!"
Vincent buried his face in Yuffie's hair, his heart constricting. "And this dream, do you believe it was not merely a dream?"
Yuffie shook her head. "It was so much more! Like a vision, I think it was the Lifestream."
Vincent frowned. Had his dream been a vision then, too?
"Yuffie, let me make us some tea. Come with me, love." Vincent steered Yuffie toward their kitchen and sat her at the table. He pulled an old kettle out of a cupboard over the sink and filled it with water, turning on the oven after he finished.
They waited in silence, Yuffie trying to dry her tears and Vincent trying to collect his thoughts. The gunslinger reached across the table, holding Yuffie's hand. "Everything will be fine, Yuffie, as long as we're together."
Yuffie smiled. "That's what Aerith said."
The kettle screamed a short while after that, and Vincent stood, pouring the tea into two mugs. He set one down in front of Yuffie, watching her finger the rim.
"Do you want something to eat?"
Yuffie glanced up. "No thank you."
The phone rang, startling Yuffie and Vincent. Vincent picked up, wondering who would call at the late hour.
"Vincent?"
"Speaking."
"It's Reeve. We've got her. Think you can come down?"
Vincent's mug shattered in his tightening hand. Fury shone in his eyes. "I'll be there as soon as possible. Don't let anyone at her yet. I want to make this painful."
He hung up with force, his eyes flashing. Yuffie watched him apprehensively. He seemed out of sorts, angry and murderous.
"Vincent-"
"They found Rosso. I'm going to kill her – no I'm going to torture her until death seems like a merciful option. Goodbye, Yuffie. I do not know when I'll be back, until then." He kissed her passionately, embracing her in his arms. When he released her, she was breathless, and he was gone.
Yuffie gazed down at the table, feeling nauseous suddenly. She stood and rushed to the bathroom, puking into the toilet violently. The acid from her stomach's contents burned at her throat, bringing tears to her eyes. She washed her mouth, wiped her face, and flushed the toilet.
"Oi, I feel all grossness." Yuffie stood shakily and examined herself in the mirror. Her face stared back at her, slightly pale and tired looking. "Vinnie, come home soon."
I wanted to start off not so strong, but my betareader thinks it needs more power. I'd like to work into that, but what do you think? Looking at it now, I see what she means, there isn't a lot of strength behind this. Should I work up to it, or just make it more powerful in the next chapter?
Thank you, VervainGirl, for betaing my story! You're amazing :DDD
I hope you all liked it, and I hope it held up to your expectations as the first chapter of the sequel. I'm really nervous about reception *-*
Please review, and thanks for reading! I appreciate the ones who like it so much that they want to read the next story! :D Love u guys!