FFVII and the characters? Alas, I own them not.

This is my first Fanfic. It's just one of those little what ifs that you can't resist playing with.

Hope you enjoy.

She shifted in her chair, trying to get into the least comfortable position. Still it was difficult to keep her eyes from closing or her head from nodding. Even as she thought about not falling asleep her body began to relax and her mind drift.

A low moan caused her to snap up. She clasped her hands in her lap and postured her back as straight as it could go. Over on the bed her charge weakly shifted to his left. His clawed arm tossed off the red cape that had partly wrapped around him. The girl watched him tensely until his breathing slowed again to its unconscious rhythm.

She sighed and relaxed a little. She had been watching him like this since they got back the evening before. For the most part he had just lain there as though dead, but now and then he would cry out and thrash, trapped in his nightmares. Twice he started thrashing so violently she had to call the others to hold him down. She couldn't blame him after what he went through, but she didn't want to watch that again.

The girl could feel exhaustion settling back in. Dreading the thought that her charge could throw another fit or wake up while she slept, she had refused to nod off for almost two days. Now the red sky outside the window told her it was almost her second night. The thought of asking someone else to take her duties had crossed her mind but the others were still recovering from the fight. They had risked their lives while she watched. The least she could do was let them rest…

She couldn't deny it any more though. She needed to sleep. Cursing her weak little body she told herself she would last the night and get someone else to take her post in the morning.

"You must stay awake," she whispered to herself, "they're counting on you." Even as she said it she started to fade. "Stay awake," she said inside her mind, but the room merely flickered and went out.

The yelp she assumed was part of her dream…until she realized that her dream was just a hazy void on the edge of consciousness into which the sound had penetrated. Her eyes didn't want to open. Her head didn't want to move. She just listened.

The room was so quite that she could hear the pulse in her ears. The gentle beat had almost lulled her back to sleep when there came another sound, this one loud and sharp enough to make her spring to her feet. She could still hear the surreal tinkling that can only be falling glass. It was followed by a heavy thud and a series of shuffling noises.

She wanted to find out what had made the noises but she was more concerned about her friend in the bed. She made her way through the darkness to the red numbers on the alarm clock. When she reached the desk she felt around and clicked on the lamp. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

The quilt on the bed had been gently removed and all that remained of the man she was supposed to be watching was an indent in the mattress. Not far beyond the footboard and the light there was something red on the floor. The girl ran over to it, fearing her charge might have collapsed. When she got to it and picked it up she realized it was just his cape.

A flash caught her eye and when she looked up she saw that the door to the bathroom was open. She walked over to it and strained her eyes into the shadows. She couldn't see much but she could hear fast, gravelly, heavy breathing…like the sound of a large animal that had narrowly evaded a predator. She wasn't afraid, not for herself. She had been raised in darkness and terrible noises. Her fear was for her friend and what could make him sound like that.

She reached inside the doorframe and found the light. The mirror above the sink was completely smashed, the pieces fallen amongst the toiletries and onto the floor. The noise was coming from her friend who was pressing himself into the corner by the tub.

There was more glass and a few drops of blood on the floor next to him. The way he had curled up with his arms tucked tightly to his chest she couldn't see how he was injured. His shoulders heaved with every breath but she couldn't tell if he was conscious. When the light had come on he shifted more towards the tub, away from the glare, but that could just be a reflex. The way his hair had fallen in his face meant there was no telling if his eyes were open…

There was no helping it; she had to see if he was awake. "Vincent Valentine," she ventured in the monotone she tried so hard to suppress. At the sound of his name Vincent tensed even more into the corner. He looked like he wanted to sink through the wall.

Without his cape he looked small and thin. It broke the girl's heart to see him in such a pitiful state, although she wasn't surprised by it.

She wanted to rush in there and help him but she knew better. She had seen him lose control before and if he did that new there would be nothing she, in her little body, could do. Even if he didn't transform…even if he just lashed out or threw another fit, it would take all the strength of the others to keep him from hurting himself and anyone else. She didn't know what time it was but she would have to wake them.

Every instinct she had was telling her to stay with her friend. She ignored them and left the room.

Almost as soon she entered the hallway the door next to hers opened and a very bed-headed, grouchy looking Yuffie poked her head out.

"Shelke?" she grumbled. "What's with all the crashing?" The ninja's eyes were heavy squints and she rubbed sleep from one with a knuckle as she peered at the smaller girl.

"Vincent's awake," Shelke told her.

"Really?" Yuffie gave a big yawn. "That's great. How's he doing?"

This nonchalant statement startled Shelke. Yuffie had been almost sick with worry for Vincent over the last few months and now she sounded like she didn't care. Shelke realized she was obviously still half asleep. It was time to wake her up.

"He smashed the mirror in the bathroom," Shelke said flatly. "He is on the floor now and he is bleeding."

It worked. Yuffie's eyes opened all the way and she yelled, "WHAT!?" She checked herself and asked a little more softly, "What happened?"

Shelke shook her head. "I do not know. I think he might be loosing control and I am not messing with him when he is like that." Yuffie was giving her a look that would be at home on a wounded puppy. "Keep and eye on him," Shelke continued, "and do not let him leave the room."

Shelke started running down the hall. "Wait, where are you going?" Yuffie called after her.

"I am going to get Cloud and Tiffa…