Journey Home

"He has a few secrets which he hid from her.

Amongst the complex feelings he now hold for her, is this sudden realization that home isn't a location, neither is it a memory. It is that small space beside her that he treasures dearly. So much… it throbs painfully in his now-mortal heart."

Prologue

It was a dream he always had while sleeping in the coffin. Lucrecia, in a field of flowers with her white dress billowing in the wind. Except when she turned around, this time, her face was different.

Brown hair that glimmered in the colour of bronze flowed with the direction of the wind, unbound. A small lock mischievously caressed the side of her face just under a pair of downcast eyes. Eyes that looked like they were smiling even in sorrow. Strong eyes that belong to a strong soul.

And for once he looked down upon himself and saw not a monster but a man. Just a man.

A man falling in love.

Chapter One: Friends

Vincent Valentine released the pressure on the small needle wound and threw the cotton pad into the bin. He stood up to adjust his cloak so it rests comfortably around his neck and flowed down his back, hiding just the right amount of his face, shielding away the view of the room. Behind his falling fringe, he lifted his eyes to match the doctor's gaze.

Reeve placed an assuring hand on his shoulder, which he inconspicuously shrugged off by walking to the consultation desk, away from the observation table. Vincent would have been less discourteous if labs didn't bother him that much.

He leaned against the desk and crossed his arms, waiting for the doctor give the blood diagnosis report.

"Um," the doctor cleared his throat, uncomfortable at Vincent's piercing gaze. "Chaos' DNA is receding steadily from his cells, and his original human immune system is effectively taking over Chaos' regeneration mechanism."

Reeve heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad it was less complicated than expected."

Vincent felt a tiny drip of tenderness oozed into his heart – something that doesn't happen when Chaos was still a large part of him.

His emotions have been much more intense lately.

And so when Reeve and the other WRO members kept visiting him and brought him fruits like they did for the senile in Midgar's Old Folks' Home, he was puzzled at the warm sensation flooding him causing this small tinge of sourness in his nose when they took turns to tell him stories of the world outside Midgar Hospital.

He tries not to recognize these conditions.

"Still," the doctor continued, "there could be complications towards the final stages of this diminution… Chaos' cells are aggressive, and carnivorous. What it does, is that it eats into the cells of the holder, and takes over them, regenerating every cell in its DNA format and keeping them immortal, like cancer. Simultaneously Chaos' DNA morphs the holder's existing DNA codes to suit further growth into his body systems, like a virus. It's a slow but definite process, that's why Vincent can fuse with more monsters the longer Chaos reside in him…"

Basically he was becoming less human, and more of a monster with every passing second Chaos inhabits within him… Not that he didn't know of…

"And such characteristics are still ingrained within the last traces of Chaos' DNA… Although Vincent's immune system and the Protomateria are winning, I expect Chaos' cells to retaliate soon… if that were to occur, Vincent would be rather vulnerable to other external viruses; the simplest cough virus might kill him."

So, even after Chaos has finally returned to the planet, there are still monsters in him which he has to clear.

"And Chaos' DNA has morphed over the years into different manifestations… Galian beast, Death Gigas, et cetera… which could cause further complications as that is beyond the Protomateria's control given that Protomateria was created only to battle Chaos' power…"

Vincent turned around to look at Reeve. "So how much longer is this observation?"

Reeve shrugged and looked at the doctor.

"I predict… about 3 more months more… But even after that, no serious battling within a year, until your immune system is used to regenerating cells without Chaos' help. Also, now that Chaos' cells are finally reduced to 0.3% of your cells proportion, I will start inducing small amount of non-complex viruses to your body to instigate growth of your own immune system."

Vincent grimaced at the idea. Injections, operations, and anything related just don't appeal to him.

"Hello!" Alongside a very loud and vivacious voice, the observatory room door slammed open. "Hope we're not disturbing!"

These are some of the things which Vincent ought to be getting used to – not being able to detect who is coming into the room by hearing footsteps metres away. His senses have dulled significantly recently… just as much as how often he's been getting hungry recently… a feeling he had forgotten since so long ago. Ah, the chronicles of being mortal again.

Yuffie stepped into the room with Cloud and Tifa. Cloud with a black leather backpack hung losely over one shoulder. Yuffie jogged over to Reeve in high spirits and started reporting on what seemed like details on the progression of monster cleansing in the Northern Crater.

"Yuffie," Tifa interrupted in her usual calm tone, that somewhat seemed a little teasing, and a little authoritative, probably from her 4 years of dealing with children. "Remember what we discussed?"

"Ahhh!" Yuffie covered her mouth with both her hands and winked impishly at Tifa. "No talking about work in front of Vincent!"

Tifa walked towards Vincent and smiled. "How are you feeling, Vincent?"

"Fine." He replied, and afraid of sounding too coarse, added, "Much better."

"Glad to hear that." She smiled again.

Sometimes Vincent wonders how can Tifa, who also had to go through a fair bit of pain in her life, still smile like that. Maybe that's just how she is. He didn't really understand. Cloud didn't smile often, neither does he. Maybe it's a female thing. Aerith used to smile. Yuffie… laughs way too much… And they did go through their own haunting history.

"Is he ready to go?" Cloud asked. "We came from the ward."

"Yes, he is" Replied the doctor, "I'll just write some prescriptions – vitamins and anti biotics… and some healing extract from cure materia… he should be fine off most of his medications now."

That, was relieving since Vincent had to take a total of 7 different drugs for the past 3 weeks. 5 times a day.

Yuffie jogged over to Vincent, and waved. "Come on; let's go back to your ward!"

While leaving the room, Vincent saw Cloud talking to Reeve – probably about the mission which they had worked on for the past 3 weeks.

Tifa, on the other hand, was talking to the doctor, a small notebook in hand.

And the door shut behind him.

"Everyone's so worried about you!" Yuffie plopped down across his bed, rolled across before finally sitting up, legs dangling from the edge of the bed while Vincent watched with cold eyes, at how she was violating his private space. He already plans to have the nurses change the bed sheets. " 'Vincent, human again?! Our Vincent? Vampire-fucking-Vincent?' " Yuffie swayed her arms around in the air and did a dramatic imitation of Cid lighting his cigarette while his mouth wide open. "Tifa suggested all of us finish the mission quickly and come back help you put your life back together, but Barrett and Cid are really busy, ya know. Barette's oil field recently just got even bigger and Shera's pregnant! Nanaki, well he had to take care of his breed and stuffs like taking over the animal kingdom so only Tifa, Cloud and the great ninja – me, made it back as soon as we heard the news…"

Vincent thought his ears were about to burst…

"And Cloud! That jerk made me ride a chocobo while Tifa gets to ride his Fenrir! If my ninja skills were less polished I would have taken another week!" Vincent thought her eyeballs might just be flying out if her eyes opened wider by just another tiny bit. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift.

So he'll have to stay in this hospital… for another 3 months at least… learn to eat… breathe… drink… answer nature's call like a normal human.

"And Tifa officially opted out all WRO missions, unless there's another madman, again, wanting to destroy the planet. Which I foresee won't be long, since madmen is the trend now. Seriously, these are some cra-zeh times, how often in history do you see 3 different catastrophes within 4 years? First Sephiroth, then two years later his brethrens, and then 2 years later Weiss and deepground…" Yuffie waved her hands and shrugged. "What we need in Midgar isn't more hospitals, but more asylums."

"Yes, yes, O great Yuffie Kisaragi." Tifa slowly walked into the room and patted Yuffie gently on her shoulders. "If the Great Yuffie Kisaragi would make way for the patient to actually lie on his bed, that would be great!"

Yuffie jumped from his bed and jutted out her tongue, while Cloud slowly slumped the backpack onto the couch leaning against the wall adjacent to Vincent's bed.

Reeve had given the best room of this Midgar Hospital to Vincent. The ward, located on the highest level of the hospital, consisted of a super-single sized bed, a wardrobe, a bedside table, a mini living room with a couch and coffee table, a bathroom with bathtub and a pantry with hot water supply and a microwave.

It didn't really make Vincent feel better. In fact, living in such a luxurious apartment funded by money used to help the society… it made Vincent guilty. Didn't he fight so hard for the sake of rebuilding the world? Using this room… made it somewhat ironic.

Well, they did say that Shinra funded his medical supplies as apology for what Hojo did. And as thanks for clearing up their skeletons. But Vincent believed, it is more so to gain WRO's trust, since most of WRO members are voluntary mercenaries, who didn't have a pleasant impression of Shinra after the multiple Sephiroth-led incidents.

Shinra don't let go powers. Never.

Well, as long as they don't fall back to their old ways, Vincent doesn't really care. But of course, he'll keep a watchful eye, just like the rest of the world.

"… hear me? Vincent?"

Vincent snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at Tifa. He was still very much uncomfortable at his dulling senses.

"Cloud and Yuffie has some errands to run for Reeve, so they can't visit as often, but I'll be around most of the time until you've fully recovered." She walked over to where Cloud was standing, leaning against the wall opposite from him, just beside the couch.

"Yeah, Vincent, don't miss us! We'll visit as often as we can, but you know how WRO is all over the place because of your absence. We literally had to increase manpower tenfold because we don't have a workaholic immortal with us for now!" With an exaggerated sigh, Yuffie linked arms with Tifa. "But we sent you the best nanny of Midgar! If anyone can take good care of you, it'll be Tifa! She even sent Marlene and Denzel over to Barette's for 3 months, since schools are temporarily closed for renovations. Gosh, you should see, everything is in shambles again, just like the post-meteor and post-Kadaj days! I'm thinking of advising WRO to not use such expensive building materials since they usually gets destroyed within a couple of years!"

"Take care, Vincent." Cloud nodded at him. "And take care of Tifa."

Vincent frowned a little under his collar. Now, he didn't ask for Tifa to 'take care of him'. They could just set up the alarm in his phone (because he doesn't really know how to function it other than calling) so that it rings when it's time to eat, sleep and excrete. He just kind of just needed to remember how he lived as a human 30 years ago.

"I'm fine on my own."

"Great!" Tifa smiled, crossing her arms, "Recovering is your job. Just take me as a live reporter, so that our friends can know your rehabilitation progress."

Friends.

Vincent didn't want to think about how that word seeped into him, like raindrops into dry sand. Not an overpowering feeling… but it was what he had been missing. Human contact, human warmth… it all seems so foreign.

These people…

An emo ex-SOLDIER who previously suffered from schizophrenia, a hot bartender who did terrorism as a part time job, a self-consumed ninja princess thief, a chain smoker who smokes as much as his airship, a man in his late thirties who has a fetish for cat mascots, a man with steel muscles and machine gun arm but did more babysitting than fighting, an animal that is so used to the human language he wonder if it would teach the animal kingdom some nursery rhymes.

And of course. The one woman who made them believe they could save the world.

They… are his friends.

Even though he don't want to believe it or recognize it… Even though such ties are just worthless mortal burden…

He cannot deny…

They are his friends.

Hey! Shortest prologue you can ever find!

Yeah yeah, Cloud never really made it to SOLDIER, not an ex-SOLDIER… blah blah blah.

Fuck it.