Summary: Where the hell were Yuffie and Vincent during the cut scene in Final Fantasy after the defeat of Sephiroth!?

Can You Save Me?

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A small noise escaped the girl as another wave of pain washed over her. Her breath escaped her as she doubled over, only able to keep on her feet by leaning against the cold stone wall. Her left hand was covered in blood as it tried to keep the grisly wound on her stomach's side from opening further. Her breath was ragged and slightly uneven. The ground shook beneath her feet. The Northern Crater was not able to stand Avalanche's battle with Sephiroth. The once mighty structure, forged from Meteor past, seemed to be crumbling around her.

'Gonna die.,' Yuffie thought while clutching her left side harder. The blood still seeped though her fingers and made a slow red trail down her leg before seeping into her once white sock. 'Super sucks.' The girl picked herself up to stand upright and continued walking forward the in dark cavern.

Yuffie did not fear death. She was born and raised Ninja. More than a princess or even a young woman, she was a warrior above all else. For her to die for not only her country but for her very world? She could not think of a more glorious death. A particularly powerful quake shook and almost caused her to fall. With help from the wall once again she caught herself and continued her aimless way.

She looked up from her feet and noticed a dim glow further down the corridor. Her uneven steps quickened. Perhaps she could at least die around some light. She was barely able to see anything in the dark winding pathways of the Crater. The light became brighter and when she turned the final corner Yuffie was blinded for a moment.

When her eyes adjusted to the light she was in awe. The cavern seemed to me made of crystallized glowing life-stream, the very essence of the planet. The color was a beautiful pale green that made her sigh and smile despite herself. It made her remember Aerith. She continued to let her eyes take in the sight. And in the center of the incredible room…

She gazed at the prone man on the cavern's floor with blood covered hair that was once shining silver. Her heat hammered in her chest as she gazed upon the incredible being with a mixture of anger, horror and a small amount of pity. His body was broken and bleeding. His chest rose with shallow breath and a small wheezing noise escaped him as he exhaled. 'Sephiroth looks like shit.' She though absentmindedly.

"Well well, look who is down for the fucking count!" She sneered at him.

He remained unmoving, save for the slow rise and fall of his chest. He was obviously dying and in much worse shape than she was. 'Looks like he doesn't have long at all.' She noted. In her near death state she felt bold. Walking more into the room and closer to the laying man she continued her taunts. Closer to her friend's killer.

"You thought you were better than us and here you are in the same shape I'm in. Worse actually!"

She saw his glowing green eyes opened and flickered to her as she shambled closer to him. His eyes held anger and contempt but the tall man still didn't move. With her closer perspective she saw the fatal blow to his chest that Cloud had dealt him. The blood was slowly leaving him now, meaning he didn't have much time left. She also noticed the large puddle of blood he lay in and thought, 'Grossness'.

She limped to stand over the prone form of Sephiroth and decided to sit next to him. 'Where was the fun in death if you have no company?' Yuffie had thought as she slowly sagged to sit on the floor, still mindful of her own mortal wound. She was beyond fear, she figured in a matter of minutes or hours (she wasn't sure), that nothing would matter to her ever again.

"You and I… I guess we're the same." She mused. "Left behind alone and dying."

He couldn't move. He only stared up at the frail girl.

"Never…alike" He said through clenched teeth.

She continued, purposely ignoring his claim. "You are super lucky, you know that? Despite the fact that you are a COMPLETE tool as well as crazy evil, you don't have to worry about hell. This planet is a cycle. Maybe you'll even get reincarnated into something nice."

"You're an idiot." He shot back. His limbs were shaking with effort as he tried, in vain, to pick himself up. He didn't even get to prop himself to his elbows before he slumped back to the floor with a low groan.

"And you look like a fucking freaky bishonen's wet dream, asshole." She said, "So, how about shutting the fuck up and letting me talk."

Sephiroth raised his hand shakily. She watched with interest as he tried to gather mana in his hand. Trying to summon something that she was sure would kill her instantly. The man faltered though and grunted in pain, his hand falling limp to his side.

"Fuck you too, old man." She scoffed. "My voice is the last thing you will ever hear." Her vision was slowly becoming fuzzy. The pain was duller and she was dizzy. The ground was shaking steadily now. A shutter ran threw her body as she suddenly felt cold. "Dying sucks."

She reached into her boot and pulled out a pack of sigs she had pilfered from Cid long ago. She mused for a minute, remembering the fit Cid has thrown when he realized he had 'lost' his last pack. She stuck one of the tobacco sticks in her mouth and lit it with cid's lighter, which had also disappeared from him recently. She took a long drag and coughed only a little.

She had smoked a few times in the past since joining Avalanche, mostly during cold nights. Something to keep her warm and calm her nerves during more troubled times. She looked at Sephroth who only stared back at her, "I know what you're thinking. 'This beautiful young flower is not old enough to smoke' blah blah blah. Well, I'm dying so why not? You can't even stop me anyway."

His piercing eyes continued to stare at him. She held the dying man's gaze. "Want one?"

For a moment his eyes flickered to the cigarette she held up in offering. "Come on, big guy," She wrapped her free arm around his bicep and with much effort on both parties, Sephiroth was sitting. She stuck the stick in the man's moth and lit it. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry you had such a shitty life." She said.

"…"

"I will still never forgive you for what you did to Aerith. You're an awful coward that deserves this and much worse."

The former SOLDIER slumped forward and his breathing was louder and ragged. His body shook and a mix of blood and saliva slipped from his mouth. Despite how much Yuffie hated this man she felt guilty, no one should have to die and the last thing they hear are hate-filled words.

"Your real mother was a scientist. I heard she was really beautiful. You probably look like her."

"…"

Yuffie coughed suddenly and could taste her own blood.

"I bet she loved you."

The man sagged the rest of the way to the floor. His cigarette fell from his mouth and rolled a little ways away. His chest was not moving anymore. Yuffie sighed to herself and gently laid back. She stared up at the beautiful crystal cavern. The dizziness was worse and she didn't mind. She heard the slow thudding of her heart in her ears. She also heard the rumbles of the cavern walls as its steady shaking became less severe. There was blood beneath her. Whether it was from Sephiroth or herself she didn't know.

"Goodnight everyone." She said softly before she gave into the darkness.

She was woken up by warm breath being pushed into her lungs. She coughed at the intrusion and her eyes shot open.

"Vincent!?" Yuffie questioned as she blinked in his red-cloaked frame.

"Yuffie." A small smiled played on his exposed face. "I'm glad you came back."

Had she more blood in her depleted body she knew she would be blushing. "Could you actually please let me die? I'd rather not have to deal with the fact that you tried to make out with my corpse."

"It's CPR." He corrected.

"Its freaky vampire shit." She shot back.

"I was equipped with a Restore material before the battle." He stated, forgoing her comment. Calling upon the materials power he cast Cure 3 as well as Regain on the thief. A sigh of relief escaped her as her wound mended and her strength returned. Her limbs still felt like jelly though and she was forced to endure Vincent picking her up bridal style and carrying her.

"GAWD!" She wailed. "Maybe there is a hell…"

"We need to find a way out of this cavern. Its structure appears to be stabilizing but I'd rather not say here to find out otherwise." Despite the metal claw, his touch was gentle. She allowed her head to rest again his chest for a minute. His body was amazingly warm and Yuffie felt quite comfortable.

"I will get us out of here Yuffie."

As the two hero's left the room, a suddenly strong feeling that Yuffie couldn't name spread through her chest. She looked over the tall mans frame to gaze at the fallen man still on the floor. 'He will never leave here.' She realized. Tears escaped her eyes without her realizing. She sniffled and glowing red-wine eyes looked down at her.

"I guess it doesn't matter who it is Vincent. Death is sad no matter how much they deserve it."

The gun man didn't answer with words. He just held the frail girl a little tighter.

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Author: I'm actually not sure who the paring is. Yuffie/Vincent? Yuffie/Sephiroth? Yuffie/Cid? I'll figure it out when I put up another chapter or 2. Wha…!? More multi-chapters? Mighty Cthulhu must have gotten to me.

Anyone have a preference? Throw your ideas at me like cake!