Dear Vincent,

It was a simple wish observation that started all this, dearest mine.

I thought my life held no surprises, that I would marry my long-time crush/almost husband and the other survivor of our hometown and continue to raise our adopted and cherished orphans and have our own to add to our family.

However, I hadn't counted on you.

You were socially awkward and a loner by nature and we all allowed you the space you needed. It was Yuffie that pointed out to me how attractive you were.

I did notice but knew you still carried the torch for the one locked in crystal that you mourned for and spoke with.

I identified with that as I too knew that isolation even if I lived with my mate.

I wasn't blind to the speculation amongst our ragged crew as to why I put up with what I did.

It was simple, I was in love with him as you were still with your own departed mate who had spurned you and turned you into something you never wanted to be.

You were always there for me in your socially lacking way but I never cared, as if I was ever such great shakes socially either!

I remember excitedly telling you of the necklace we found together at that flea market, that it was exactly like my mother's but I couldn't afford it after groceries and bills to be paid.

I never expected to see it again until I opened my birthday present and there it was.

It was then I realized that you might care about me more than I suspected, this was confirmed when unsocial you started coming around to help me out around my place.

You would never have considered making an actual move on me in view of how you respected myself and Cloud and our relationship.

It wasn't until I told you that we had parted weeks before and you drew me against you to weep it out after I admitted this out loud for the first time. You cradled me in your embrace as your unruly dark hair married my own and I pressed myself against your slim body and felt soothed by the scent of leather and the masculine scent that was simply you. Your human and clawed hand stroked my hair as I clung to you and felt so safe.

You didn't seem to know how to court me and held yourself in a graceless manner at our budding relationship, unable to fathom how to approach me.

It was me that stole a kiss from you as our mouth melded and I got to know your taste as you tentatively kissed me back with naked hunger. You were starving for affection, just like me and we fed that raw hunger in each other.

Your touch was shy and almost virginal as we took off our armor and lay scar on scar and hope on hope.

"I want this, I want you forever" I told you.

"I will outlive you" you cautioned me.

"I would rather a second with you then a hundred years with another man. Besides, science is forever changing. You might be stuck with me forever" I said to you.

"You know what I am" you tentatively said.

"And you know what I am. What a horrid mess I look in the mornings. We all have our demons and we shall have to live with them. I want you" I promised you.

Our love making was needy but tender as we could be as both of us had been scarred by love before.

"I love you" I gasped as I clung to the alabaster skin of your back.

"I-I" you said as you blushed to the point I could make out a tinge of red on your pale cheeks. Your crimson eyes bore into my own garnet and the hope there felt like I was finally home. I was a woman lost as I drowned in the tenderness in your eyes.

The sweat of our coupling was drying on our skin as you held me like you would never would let me go and without the benefit of a white dress, ring and promise; I knew we were forever.

You're sleeping while I watch you smile in a way I've never seen you before. You look positively giddy!

I'm writing this note to let you know that I know it will take you time to adjust and if you wake up to find me gone, don't worry.

I have little food in the place and want to make you the apricot pancakes you like so much and have only gone to the farmers market to get the good ones. You always said you can detect if they were picked fresh that day or not.

I won't be long and am only a PHS call away, after I get home, it's you and myself forever.

Love,

Tifa