Threads of Memories

Full Summary: Yuffie wakes up to find herself 26 years back in the past after being blinded by a bright light in Lucrecia's Cave. She meets Vincent's father Grimoire Valentine and Vincent himself much to her surprise. She doesn't know how to get back to the present and somehow ends up forced to be a turk.

'Gawd, why the hell did they have to make so many freakin' stairs? –Yuffie Kisaragi

Chapter One: Chance Meetings

'Water...'

Yuffie flinched as drop of water hit her cheek and then another. She groggily opened her eyes her visioned slightly blurred before it focused upon the sky. The clouds were gray and she could hear the soft roll of thunder. Why was she on the wet ground again? Yuffie sat herself up slowly as she rubbed the side of her head. How long has she been out like that? She didn't remember taking a nap on the ground or being in Midgar for that matter. Wait Midgar? Yuffie slowly stood herself up from the ground as her eyes looked around slowly. Indeed she was in midgar, but it looked a little different. The buildings weren't so run down and rickety.

"Have I been drinking or something and passed out?" She put a hand to her forehead as she walked forward down the wet cobblestone street of Midgar. Yuffie Kisaragi thought to herself for awhile tryign to figure out what she was doing a few moments ago.

"Let's see...I was leaving WRO headquarters and I went to go find Vincent..." She stopped walking abruptly as the man's name left her lips. She had went off to go look for him to see how he was holding up and to yell at him for going off like that without as much as a 'See you later' 'be back soon' or a 'kiss my ass'. Yuffie knew he could only be in one place.

"Phew,I thought I'd never make it here."

Yuffie gave a sigh of relief before detatching the harness she had around her waist. It was a hassle just getting over here, but the hard part was having to scale down in very cold water to make it to the entrance of the waterfall. How did Vincent ever come down here like this was beyond her. Her clothes were a little soaked now and drops of water chased down her legs and arm slowly. She quietly made her way inside the cavern. The crystal stalagmite's sparkled and emitted a dull glow from within them. Yuffie had only been here once before a long time ago. From what she can remember it all looked the same, even the large crystalized stalagmite in the middle of the enclosed cavern.

"That's still there?" She asked no in particular.

Her feet carried her over to the large crystalized structure, small streams of water running between the cracks of the floor. Small pools of water made around in different parts of the cave. Even the walls seem to have water flowing from it, especially from the ceiling as it would pour slowly into one of the puddles below. Some if it dripping onto her forehead, but she ignore it. Stopping short of the structure Yuffie examined it a little closer. There didn't seem to be anyone here at all, also there didn't seem to be any sign of Vincent here either.

'Has...he finally been able to let her go?' Yuffie mumbled her hand touching the crystal. It glowing faintly from her touch. She then gave a sigh, since Vincent wasn't here she minus well leave. Turning on her heels she began to walk away though she stopped dead in her tracks at the voice that called out to her.

'C...c...com..e...'

"Huh?" Yuffie looked around quickly in an alert manner. No one. She didn't see anyone, but where did that...

'C..come...t-t-to...m-m-m...ee...'

She looked over her shoulder and drew her attention to the large crystal in the middle of the room. It pulsed a little brightly as the strange voice seemed to be calling out to her.

"Is it calling...me?" She stood there for a moment looking at it. The strange glow it was emitting felt like it was luring her too it as she self-consciously stepped forward moving towards it. The pulsing glow merging from within it was hypnotizing. A odd feeling washed over her body, but she couldn't quite place it. The glow reflected off of her eyes as she stopped just a foot from it as she reached her hand out to it before a voice broke the silence of the cavern.

"Yuffie don't touch it!"

"Huh..." She looked over her shoulder to see Vincent standing there. A panicked expression on his face as he dashed over to her. Before she could react, she felt something grasp her hand and pull her towards the crystal. Her hand pressing against the smooth material as it glowed brighter. She screamed as it felt like her hand was on fire. The stinging sensation was growing from her palm and then through her arm. The room was soon filled with a blinding light from the crystal as nothing was heard besides Yuffie screaming.

"Did that really happen? But, why am I in Midgar?" She frowned a little. Did Vincent bring her here? If so where was he? Is this some kind of joke? "Nah...Vinny doesn't do jokes or laugh for that matter."

Man, she needed a drink. This was too much to process. She noticed a pub just ahead of her. It looked a little clean, though it was also shady looking due to some tall bulky looking men standing against the building. As she walked closer, she took notice in their clothes. They were in uniforms, but SOLDIER uniforms. Her eyes widened a little as that just wasn't possible.

"There isn't anymore SOLDIER. That's impossible." She said to herself. Indeed, they were SOLDIERS. This was weird. What was going on? They eyed her for a moment as she walked inside the pub. One made a gesture with their hand before the other nodded to his partner.

Yuffie had gotten more than just a couple of stares when she entered the pub. She walked by the tables not noticing the intense stares she got as she took a seat at the bar.

"Can I get a sake?" She sighed rubbing her forehead.

"Lady, you have a lot of balls coming in here." The bartender said before raising his brow, "Sa-ke? What the hell is that? What does this look like some gay bar? We sell beer and hard liquor here little lady."

Yuffie made a face as she wasn't going to drink beer. It was totally nasty and had a bad taste to it. How can they not sell sake here? Sake can be pretty strong when you drink it nice and warm. She rolled her eyes. Men. "Fine, give me water then."

"Pssh. What are you doing in here getting water?" He questioned, before pouring her a glass of water and placing it in front of her.

"Something wrong with that?" Yuffie looked at him.

"Well, unless you want to be more than eye candy to these men I suggest you leave. This ain't no place for no woman unless you're a whore." He said.

Yuffie looked over her shoulder as she looked around the room. She just now noticed the lack of any estrogen in the room. It was just men here. Most of them were either drunk, playing poker, or just eyeing her exposed skin. She grimaced turning her head back.

"Ugh, of all places." She shook her head looking at her glass.

"Hey sweet heart, you looking for some company?"

"Mm?" She turned her head noticing someone had sat next to her. It was one of those guys from SOLDIER she had saw. "No, I'm not."

"Really? Cause we can give you company for a couple of hours." He grinned. Yuffie nealry spit her water back into her glass. Yuck, she thought it was time for her to leave now.

"I think I'll pass thank you very much." She said, turning around in her seat as she got up. Though she fell back as she bumped into the second SOLDIER that happened to be standing in front of her now.

"Oh, you'd pass up the pleasure of being with two SOLDIERS? It should be a honor for a woman of your 'profession'." He said. Yuffie stared at him with a look of annoyance.

"EXCUSE ME? Are you actually calling me a slut?" She yelled at him, catching the attention of others in the room her sudden outburst.

"I mean come on. You're the only woman in here and by the way you dress it's prett obvi–UGHH!"

He hardly had enough time to finish his sentence as Yuffie sent a swift hard kick to his crotch sending the man crumble down to his feet. There were some gasps in the room from the scene unfolding. A woman had actually hit a SOLDIER.

"Don't you ever, EVER call me a slut again. Got it? Cause next time you'll spend some quality time with my foot in your ass!" She yelled.

"You little...bitch." He growled. "You have no idea who you're messing with."

He said getting himself up from the ground slowly as he unsheathed his blade from his side. More than have of the men in the bar had made a hasty retreat as he did. Most of them might have been drunk, but they weren't stupid. Getting in a fight with a SOLDIER was like a infant and alligator going one on one.

"Oh yeah? I think you got that turned around." She said jumping back from him. Her hand reaching behind her, though she felt around her back before noticing she was lacking a weapon.

Damn, I must have left it behind somewhere. Eh, whatever I don't need a weapon to take this idiot out.

She raised a hand waving a gesture of her hand towards him, "Bring it on."

"You are so dead." He said, as he ran towards her as his sword raised over his head. He brought it down to where she was standing, though it didn't strike. He found her standing on the edge of the blade to his surprise. She didn't even feel heavy on his blade weighing it down. The last thing he would remember seeing would be the bottom of her boot hitting his face. The force sending him back into a wall as he fell to the ground painfully. Yuffie somersaulted back before landing on her right foot. She vaulting off from her landing launching herself towards his partner that had grabbed his gun. He didn't have time to fire a round at the charging girl. The wind was knocked out of him as he hunched over as Yuffie's fist push into his abdomen hard. Multiple ones came one after another, before he crumpled forward on his side.

"Geeze, that's all you guys got? I was expecting a challenge." Yuffie said putting her arms behind her head.

"Holy shit, did you see that?" Someone said.

"Those two SOLDIERS were taken out so quick and by a female for that matter." Another one whispered.

The bartender seemed at a lost for words as he looked at the shinobi. Yuffie felt a little awkward as they whispered and looked at her. Did she do something wrong? She shrugged it off before deciding to take a quick leave of the pub. A few SOLDIERS passed her on her way out.

"What the hell?"

She could hear one of the men yell behind her. Oh, she didn't know that all 'hell' was about to break loose after those words left his mouth.

—

Yuffie held her breath as she pressed herself along the brick wall of the narrow alley she had ducked into. SOLDIERS running past the alleyway with guns in hand. A big exhale made as they passed seeing that they didn't find her. What a mess. She didn't think she could cause so much trouble within the first ten minutes of waking up. That's Yuffie for you.

"I so, need to find somewhere to hide...but where? It'd be the last place they'd look."

She peeked around the corner of the alley and notices that the men were gone for now. They might be back so she had to move fast. The sound of a helicopter caught her attention as she saw it hover past her and headed towards the ShinRa building. No, wait the ShinRa building? Yuffie shook her head looking again. The building was standing up in perfect condition, but why was it? The last time she saw it didn't even have a top to it.

"Things just keep getting weirder and weirder." Yuffie said. She had to see why that was still up for herself and what was going on. Taking one more look around she made her way towards the ShinRa building.

—

The entrance to the building was guarded by a SOLDIER standing near. She could just go and kick his butt boom, bam, bam! Though she didn't want to cause more trouble for herself and alert anyone else that she was here. That would have been a disaster. So, she had no choice, but to take the stairs. It seemed like she been running up these stairs forever.

"Gawd! Don't they ever stop!" She whined out as she could feel the burn in her thighs from jogging up these stairs. Well it started out as running, which turned into jogging, then a steady walk and then just crawling up the stairs. Yuffie gave an exasperated sigh falling on her back taking a small break from literally climbing all of these stairs.

"Why the hell did they have so many freakin stairs for these floors? I hope to Leavithian that it doesn't go all the way up to the top." She sighed. "I wonder where Vincent is..."

"Vincent...my phone...my phone!" She sat up quickly before she took her phone from her right pocket. The cover flipped up as she pressed the speed dial button that she had Vincent on much to his dismay. Since she'd always call him constantly filling his voice mail box with repetitive messages. Well, hopefully he'll answer the phone this time. The placed the phone up to her ear as she didn't hear a ring as a automated voice came up.

'I'm sorry, but the number you're trying to reach does not exist.'

"What? That's impossible." She frowned, before trying Reeve's number before the same automated voice popped up again.

'I'm sorry, but the number you're trying to reach does not exist.'

This was stupid they were the right numbers. Yuffie had went through her whole address book and still it said the same thing. Okay, now this was just far from weird it was just creepy. She grumbled putting her phone back in her pocket before getting up. Oh, she was going to get to the bottom of this. Ten minutes passed before she had made it to the top of the stairs. She opened the door slowly and peered inside cautiously. The coast was clear. She closed the door behind her before she began to walk across the hallway to the main elevators. Her head quickly snapped at the 'bing' sound from the elevators from the far side of the room. She quickly ducked behind one of the pillars in the hallway as she concealed herself. Footsteps approaching slowly, as she heard two male voices.

"Did you hear? Some female had attacked two SOLDIERS in a bar and now they sent out a squad to go find her. I heard they might even send a Turk to track her down. Man, that woman must have been some idiot to pull a stunt like that." The man laughed. Yuffie balled up her fist trying to keep her temper down from the comment.

Gawd, news traveled that fast even here.

"Really? That's quite interesting." The other man said in quiet tone. "Though, they sound quite skilled to elude the SOLDIER this whole time. Could use more skilled people in SOLDIER."

"God, you keep so calm even in situations like this. I swear Valentine you're un-phased by just about any kind of news."

Valentine?

"Well, I need to go the research library. Let's have lunch sometime when you're not busy." The man said stepping into the elevator on the right as it closed.

Yuffie looked around the pillar as she noticed the tall man that stood in front of the employee elevators. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed his familiar features. His long ebony hair and pale like features. Oh, yes it was Vincent all right, but what was with that get up he was wearing? She noticed he was wearing a white lab coat and glasses.

Bing!

The doors slid open as the left elevator arrived. He walked inside as he pulled out his keycard from his pocket. He slide it underneath the button panel. The doors began to close, but a petite figure managed to dive between the closing doors. She stumbling forward and into him. Panting heavily, as she looked up at him. He looked down at her with his hands on her shoulder holding her steady.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"I'm fine, phew. It took me forever to find you!" She yelled exasperated.

"It did?" He raised a brow looking at her.

"Well, yeah! I could not reach you on your phone. I think I might be getting some crappy interference in this building." Yuffie said. She pulled back from him putting her hands on her hips. "I swear Valentine, you can be a real pain in the ass you know?"

He rubbed a finger along the bridge of his nose slowly as he closed his eyes, "So, I've been told."

Bing!

The doors of the elevator slowly opened. He breezed past Yuffie as he made his way down the hallway. Yuffie followed in pursuit behind him as he heard the footsteps tap behind him.

"Young Lady is there any reason you're following me?" He said without turning to look back at her.

"Young Lady? What's your deal? I've been looking for you all over and when I finally find ya, you are acting weirder than usual."

"..." He said nothing as he continued to walk.

"What is this some kind of undercover disguise? I would have picked you for one having more of a direct approach Vincent and–Hey!" Yuffie bumped right into the man's back as he had made a abrupt stop.

"Vincent? Oh, I see now." He said, turning around a smile on his lips. That was something she would have never seen Vincent do. Was hell already frozen over now? Is the world ready to explode or something?

"Wha?" Yuffie looked at him puzzled. What was he smiling about? Was there something on her face?

He bowed his head to her, "Miss, I am Grimoire Valentine. 'Vincent' Valentine is my son."

TBC

-Runs away from mob- XD; I couldn't help it. Waii! This came to me I swear! Okay, no more new stories to post until I get up to five or six chapters on my other ones. I swear! You know you like this one! This chapter wasn't too long, I thought I'd leave it off here and leave you hungering for more. Mwhaha. Yes, I know it said in the DOC guide that Grimoire died 26 years ago ( I think before Vincent's sleep so Vincent was asleep for...23 years. According to the GUIDE anyway.) I made it where Vincent is around his age he was in the turks and what not. So, don't complain. I had to make it work with the story. So, shut up. XD; It is fanfiction of course.