((Author's Notes: This is a gift fic (my first ever!) for my dear friend and long-time beta reader, Cykeclops. K, I don't have the words to express my gratitude for everything you've done for me over the years, but I gave it a try by continuing to feed your Vincent addiction. This fic is set immediately after Sephiroth's birth and Lucrecia's death. It is based on my interpretation of events in Vincent's past based on the original game. That is what I will always consider to be the "real" version, so please don't tell me I got it wrong and try to explain all that stuff they tossed into DoC. This story also fits into the continuity of my AU. My amazing beta (the woman behind the curtain making me look good since 1998) and I very much appreciate your support! Thank you! ~ JenesisX ))

The Last Act

He sat alone at a small table, the only light streaming into the room from a nearby window… But every light in the world could not chase away the darkness that had gripped his soul. With expert precision, he loaded his gun one bullet at a time, each of them sliding into the chamber with a purpose that was crystal clear in his mind. As he worked, an endless trail of tears fell from his eyes, but he did not bother to wipe them away. He knew it was futile, and feared he would never be able to stop.

She was gone.

Dead.

No, murdered. The twisted creature she called a husband had killed her with his sick experiment. He'd probably known she wouldn't survive all along. All he'd ever cared about was his work and reputation, not his spouse and their unborn child. But he needed the baby, the result of so much research and the creation he hoped would bring him the fame and prestige he'd always craved. She had been nothing but a host, and once the child left her body she was needed no longer. He choked off a sob at the thought of Lucrecia's used and broken body being discarded like so much garbage. She was dead, all because she'd been too trusting and curious. All because he had failed her…

He'd tried so hard to warn her, to convince her that the whole thing was a terrible idea and likely to have even worse consequences. Why had she not listened to him? Why could he not make her see her husband and his plans for what they really were? They could have run away together at any time, and kept running for the rest of their lives if need be. He had the means, and he certainly had the love and dedication. He was even prepared to raise her son as his own, despite the fact that he'd never really wanted to be a father. He would have done anything for her, moved heaven and earth to protect her from that monster… If only he could have convinced her in time. If only he was strong enough. Good enough. He would never be able to forgive himself. He should have forced her at gunpoint, for gods' sake! Why had he accepted her refusals for so long? He should have done so much more. Now, it was too late.

As another tear rained down upon his weapon, he closed the chamber with a determined click. Without her, he had no purpose, no reason to continue his empty life. He didn't want to remain on a Planet that no longer offered the promise of time spent with his soul mate, the first woman he had ever loved. There could never be anyone else. He hung his head and closed his eyes against the pain, picking up his gun and concentrating on the feel of the cold metal in his hand. There was just one last thing he had to do, and then he could join Lucrecia in the next life… If there even was such a place. With as cruel as the world had always been, he had his doubts.

He stood and slipped the weapon into the shoulder holster hidden beneath his suit jacket, briefly glancing at a clock on the wall. It was just after midnight, the start of the first new day without the one he loved. With any luck, there would not be many more for Vincent Valentine to endure.

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The door to the laboratory slid open with a quiet hiss. Vincent returned the stolen keycard to his pocket, glad that scientists tended to be careless and unorganized with their belongings. He stepped inside as the door closed behind him, pausing to scan the room with alert eyes.

There was enough lighting from the various consoles and machines throughout the sterile room that he was able to see fairly well. He could only hope that he was correct, that what he had come for was really being kept there. If he was mistaken, he had no idea what he might have to do next.

He couldn't fail her again. It may have been too late for him to protect her and save her life, but it was not too late to keep the final promise he'd made just a few nights before. Reflecting upon it now, he realized that Lucrecia must have suspected that all was not well, that she may not survive the birth of her experimentally altered son. Why had she not told him as much? He would have done everything in his power to protect her, to find help in time. The answer was a hot brand burned into his heart. She hadn't believed he could save her…

Vincent swallowed hard, forcing down his grief as he crossed the room and looked about. He had to find Lucrecia's son and get him away from this place. He could still remember the expression on her face as she sat curled up in his lap, gently resting her hand against his cheek when she met his eyes.

If something ever happens to me, I want you to look out for Sephiroth. Please, Vincent… Don't let his father ruin him if I can't be there to stop it.

There had been tears in her eyes, the mixture of sorrow and her love for him a potent combination he couldn't resist. He'd quickly agreed, dismissing her concerns as simple nervousness about the impending birth of her first child. Surely he would never actually have to fulfill the promise, because she would be there to raise her son herself.

Three days later, she was gone.

It all felt so surreal as he crept along the wall, toward a collection of machines and equipment in the rear of the room that flashed and blinked as if hard at work. Could she truly be dead? Would he really never see her again, never hold her or make her smile? The reality was unbearable, and a tear escaped his eye as he tried to focus on his mission. He had to stay strong for long enough to rescue her son and get him somewhere safe, where he would be loved and cared for… And then he could place his gun against the side of his head and end his pain.

Vincent approached the grouping of equipment, focused on what appeared to be a medical incubator. His heart began to race as he drew closer, leaning forward to peer inside the glass top. When he saw what the machine contained, he stood frozen for long moments, his eyes locked on the tiny being inside.

There he was, attached to so many wires and monitors that he was difficult to see. Lucrecia's son… Sephiroth. He wore nothing but a diaper and appeared to be sleeping peacefully, though his impossibly small mouth was turned downward into a frown. He looked so helpless and alone, trapped within the glass case as if he were an insect, a specimen, and not a human infant. He knew Lucrecia would never have allowed it, and a rising anger caused him to grit his teeth. This was no way to treat a newborn.

Vincent was no expert on the subject, but his every instinct cried out for him to open the machine and cradle the child. Lucrecia's words echoed through his mind as he began to study the device, looking for a way to open it. It was sealed tight and seemed to be locked. He began to run his hands along its sides, feeling for anything that might release the top.

As he peered inside again, frustrated by his inability to open the incubator, he paused as the baby's eyes fluttered open. He swallowed hard, gazing into a pair of emerald green eyes that were so much like Lucrecia's it took his breath away. They were bright with the unnatural glow of Mako energy, but he otherwise looked so much like his mother that it left him stunned. A single tear trailed down his cheek and splashed onto the glass. He reached out and placed a hand on the clear barrier that separated him from the child, frowning with renewed determination as the infant began to wail.

Don't worry… I'll get you out of there.

A shot rang out in the darkness, and all at once a pain exploded through his chest. He doubled over, unable to breathe, the force of the impact staggering him. He raised a hand to his chest, the blood instantly running between his fingers. When he looked down at himself, he saw a neat hole in his shirt, right beside his heart.

He gasped for air, placing his bloodied hand atop the incubator as he stumbled and nearly lost his balance. He watched the blood run down the side of the machine, hearing the infant's pitiful cries increase in volume. He dropped to one knee, managing to draw a shallow breath as he covered the wound with his other hand. His chest was on fire, and quickly filling with his blood. Someone had shot him… And he was dying.

He moaned pitifully in a voice that no longer sounded like his own, finally managing to lift his head and look across the dimly lit room. There, emerging from the shadows, a short man in a lab coat set down his weapon on a nearby desk. The moment he stepped forward, the lighting from nearby equipment flashing across his face, Vincent realized that he'd arrived too late. He had failed her… Again.

"So predictable," Hojo said with a disgusted snort, shaking his head as he came to stand just a few feet away. He looked down at Vincent with what almost appeared to be pity, before his expression changed and a sneer crossed his face. "Did you really think I didn't know? Do you think I'm stupid, Valentine?"

He paused as if expecting an answer, but all Vincent could do was gasp for air, the taste of blood in his mouth as he grew weaker with each passing moment. A pool of blood had already formed before him, his life running through his fingers and onto the floor.

"How dare you," Hojo snarled, taking a step closer. "You run around with my wife, as if I was completely unaware of what the stupid whore was doing, and now you attempt to steal something else that belongs to me!"

"You… piece of filth…" Vincent sputtered, gripping his chest and doubling over as he began to cough up blood. He tried to focus his eyes but failed, falling forward onto his hands and knees.

Hojo laughed, a frighteningly cold sound devoid of humor. "I knew you would come… So I've prepared a very special experiment for you," he said, grinning down at Vincent as he struggled harder and harder to breath. He could feel the blood filling his lungs, closing his eyes against the pain. So this was how it felt to die… There was no rush of treasured memories passing before his eyes, no distant light at the end of the darkness beckoning him closer. There was nothing to comfort him, just the agony of the wound and the knowledge that his time had run out.

No! Not yet… I must keep my promise!

He reached down with one hand, desperately searching for his gun. Maybe it was not too late. If only he could… breathe…

"I think you'll quite enjoy it," Hojo said, his voice filled with glee as he bent down and quickly removed Vincent's gun from its holster. "I've been waiting for just the right specimen, and since you've been kind enough to volunteer… Hehehe… We can get started right away!"

Vincent closed his eyes as he crumbled to the floor, lying in a puddle of warm blood as he drew his final breath. He was briefly aware of Hojo speaking as if from a great distance, and then the world around him slowly faded away. The last thing he heard was the desperate cry of his lover's child.

Lucrecia… I'm so sorry…

((Author's Notes: This story takes on an additional tragic note if you believe, as I do (based on the original game) that Vincent could very well have been Sephiroth's father. For those unfamiliar with my fics and AU, he is proven to be during Irony of Fate. So here, he was trying to rescue his own son without even knowing it. I have quite the library of fics over at my profile, so please check them out! Thank you very much! ~ JenesisX ))