Writer's note: Hey ppl! This is my first fic ever! So please let me know what you think. I know exactly where I want to go with this story line. It's gonna take a very romantic turn for Vincent and Tifa, and Cloud is gonna get the surprise of his life. So Pleeeeze review. A lot of thanks to my inspiration, my own Vincent Valentine, you know who you are. Mwah!

P.S: I don't own any aspect of Final Fantasy VII(although it would have been nice to own Vincent.,)

In Vain

Chapter 1:Just the two of us.

He lay there silently listening to the raindrops falling softly onto the roof. Sleep came difficult to the Ex-Soldier in the last couple of nights, Aeris' words kept running through his head:'Isn't it time you did the forgiving?'. And then a pang of guilt tied his stomach in a knot as he heard Tifa's voice echo in his mind 'What will it be, a memory, or us?', he could still see the hurt expression on her face.

He had to do sumthing or it might be too late...

He got up as softly as he could, as to not bother the others while they were all silently exploring their own dreams. Barret had left that morning taking Marlene and Denzel with him on a 'little adventure' as he called it, and Cait Sith went back to the Gold Saucer while Red XIII took on the long journey home to Cosmo Canyon. Now only himself Cid, Yuffie and Vincent remainded within the solitudal walls of Seventh Heaven on this dark nigth.

After getting dressed in his usual attire, he paused at Tifa's bedroom door looking in at the delicate beauty as she lay there in peacefull dreams. Strands of mahogany hair slightly touching the porcelain skin of her cheek. A hint of a smile displayn on her lips. He couldn't help but notice, she looked so happy...so content. How could he have ever doubted that this was where he belonged? He stood there for several moments more taking in her sleeping form before turning on his heel to walk away from her once again. He walked a few steps before pausing, whispering a soft promise to a loved one, ' I'll be back soon Tifa, wait for me...'.

He softly closed the door of Seventh Heaven behind him, walking over to Fenrir with only one destination in mind... The Forgotten City...Aeris' final resting place.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Vincent Valentine awoke abrubtly to a loud raccus coming from downstairs, he could make out Yuffie's loud shrill voice yelling back at Cid. The loudmouth pilot had obviously made one or another snide remark, he thought to himself as he reluctantly got out of bed. He took up his tattered red cape that was neatly draped over the back of a chair that stood next to the bed and in one swift movement threw in over his shoulders. As he started down the stairs he could now better make out the ongoing argument between the Highwind's Captain and the young ninja/materia thief.

'Thats soooo SEXEST Cid!' came a loud yell from a high pitched voice, there was no doubt in his mind who it belonged to,It could only be Yuffie.

'But it's a woman's F&#! job to raise children and clean the F# house and make the goddamn food' Came in reply to her remark. As he reached the bottom of the flight of stairs he silently walked over to the wall and leaned casually against it with his shoulder. He had them perfectly in sight now as they went on with their argument. He couldn't help but notice the huge grin on Cid's features, he was obviously just teasing the young girl but she was totally on the offensive now and wouldn't let go easily.

While Yuffie and Cid continued their heated debate he noticed Tifa sitting at the bar, resting her chin on her left hand, elbow resting on the table top. She was studying a piece of paper which she held in her right hand, when she suddenly looked up to see Vincent standing across the room from her. 'Oh goodmorning Vincent,' came her soft gentle voice, catching the attention of her loudmouth companions who both looked up, silent to what felt to the Ex-Turk like an eternity. Cid casually greeted Vincent with a nod, and much to his annoyance he saw Yuffie run up to him, brake just in the nic of time, throw her hands on her hips while looking him playfully in the eyes,'Morning Vinny, how'd you sleep?'. He hated being called 'Vinny',it was either Vincent or nothing. He looked her dead centre in the eyes with one of his unreadable placid expressions, muttering a single word,'Fine,' before walking past her to where Tifa sat at the bar.

'Good morning Tifa, I just wanted to thank you for letting me stay here before I head out.',he said as he watched her, still eyeing that little piece of insignificant paper. Silence followed for the next couple of seconds. 'Tifa?' he tried to snap her out of the hypnotizing grip that that letter -he assumed- had on the beautiful martial artist. 'Oh, uhm sorry, did you say something Vincent?', eyes the colour of a deep red wine looked up at him, he could see the sadness there and it pierced his soul. He and Tifa always had a mutual understanding, a kind of respect if you could call it that. They spent countless nights around the campfire talking about things that have long since passed, that was still in those days they spent pursuing Sepheroth. They had gotten to know and understand each other, and he felt that she was the only member of AVALANCHE he could truly open up to, only if it was only a minimal amount of information he gave to her about his past. She had opened up to him aswell, told him about the majority of her childhood years she and Cloud spent together in Nibelheim before he left to join Soldier. He had seen that sadness, that hurt in her eyes before. But only when she talked about him...about Cloud...

He realised he was staring at her in silence, having not replied on her question. 'Vincent, Are you all right?' she asked looking at him with a puzzled expression on her face. 'Yes,sorry, I'm fine Tifa. That a letter from Cloud?' he asked pointing with his gloved right hand at the paper. 'Yes,' she replied softly letting her head hang in silence once more, as if she was trying to hide her hurt from the world, she was quite good at hiding her true feelings, one more thing Tifa and himself had in common.

The silence was suddenly broken by Cid:'Yeah, she spiky haired ass decided to head off again.' he said while throwing his feet on the coffee table, taking the packet of cigarettes out from under his goggle straps then fumbling in his blue jacket pocket for a lighter. 'Left a note,'pointing to Tifa,',just saying "I'll be back soon",' in a mock voice that was supposed to sound something like Cloud, but failed miserably.

Tifa got up from her seat leaving the note behind. 'I'm sure he'll be back in a couple of days. A week at the most. He promised he wouldn't take off again leaving me alone with the kids. He'll be back when Barret brings Marlene and Denzel home.' Tifa voiced her thoughts aloud, but it sounded more to Vincent like she was trying to confince herself of her statement.

Cid looked at Tifa with a look of sympathy, which was quite unusual for a guy like him to show any sort of feelings whatsoever. 'I'm sure he will Tifa.' He lifted his feet from their resting place on the table and gestured to Yuffie who was sitting in the corner of a booth curiously eyeing Vincent's materia,'Come on kid, we better get going if i still have to get ur puny arse to Wutai, and I really have to get back to Shera'. Yuffie got up and walked over to Tifa and gave her a quick hug, 'Goodbye Tifa, and take care of yourself? And Pleeeeez come and visit me any time you feel like it.' she said with that childlike enthusiasm she always seemed to carry about with her. 'Ciao Vinny,' she muttered mockingly while winking at him as she walked by, towards the door where Cid was already waiting for her. Cid greeted with a casual nod of the head and Yuffie turned around and waved goodbye with a quick smile, before exiting the door of Seventh Heaven towards the Highwind.

Then there was silence...

Tifa finally broke it when she looked over to Vincent,' Guess that just leaves the two of us.'. She had obviously not heard him earlier about heading out. 'You are planning on staying a couple of days aren't you? This place will be so empty without the kids around.' she looked at him with a pleading expression in her eyes. 'And anyway we have a lot of catching up to do, we haven't seen each other for two years.' She carried on while wiping the surface of the bar with a wet cloth.

He guessed it wasn't a bad idea, he had missed their conversations into the early hours of the morning a lot more than he realised. 'Yes, I'll stay if that is what you wish Tifa.' His answer came so swiftly to his mouth that it surprised even him, but he didn't let it show on his face, it remained as impassive as ever. "Do I have other reasons that would make me want to stay? Maybe some subconscious reasons?... Don't be silly Vincent" he chided himself. Yes she was very beautiful, the word exquisite even came to his mind and her eyes were like two shining jewels, stars in the night sky. And she was by far the best company he had ever had. He quickly assured himself that that was the reason he wanted to stay. "Yes, I simply enjoy her company, that is all." he thought within the deep confines of his mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX