Title: No Vow Left Unbroken
Author: ashgray_kitsune
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Summary: Vincent wakes, Veld takes a vacation, Reno gets a lesson, and Rufus finds out that he's not an only child.

Three days later
Shinra Medical Facility
Shinra Tower

The first thing he noticed when he woke was that he couldn't move his arms and legs, and gingerly, he pressed his wrists upward, the panic that roiled in his stomach blossoming when he realized that he was restrained. That horrid feeling was remembered far too easily, and he fought against the cuffs, arching his back up only to feel the sting of a fresh set of stitches down his sternum, warning pangs echoing from where wire held bone, and the gasping pain of a tight chestband. His eyes refused to focus at first, but as the fear subsided, clarity returned with rage. Crimson eyes flashed as his fangs bared themselves against the bright surgical lights, a snarling hiss filling the silence of the room.

"He told me you'd probably be a little angry." That voice, calm, authorative, strong...Vincent almost broke the hinges of the gurney he lay on as he twisted and fought to rise, his fury boiling up into a scream of rage as he lunged out towards Veld.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

"Uh, boss, he's breaking the bed, yo..."

"YOU LIED TO ME, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

"Sir, should we call on SOLDIER...?"

"I SHOULD HAVE LEFT YOU TO ROT!"

"Tseng, Reno, it's alright. I need you two to leave. Go down and keep an eye open for Hojo and his ilk; I'll not have my successor stolen away again, right when so much is at stake. Go." As they left, Vincent glared at the man standing before him, then the moment the door closed, he relaxed, slumping back on the bed.

"You were right, the 'betrayal' works every time."

"Not always, my old friend, not always. Tseng picked up on me a long time ago; Reno too. But they are among the few that are trustworthy." Veld came forward and undid each restraint, helping Vincent sit up. "Forgive me, Vincent. I never wanted to see you like this...in truth, I'd hoped that you'd finally been given the grace to die down in that hellhole." The gunman sighed softly, rubbing his wrists.

"I nearly did. I was this close to death, I was in the Lifestream itself...but that bitch Lucrecia did something to my body that makes it almost impossible to destroy me. I haven't aged, haven't been able to gain back the weight and muscle mass I lost...I'm scarred in more ways than I care to ever admit...technically I don't even have a left arm anymore." He held up the limb, and Veld swallowed, almost nervously, it seemed. The arm was withered and gray, more claw like than human, and seemed to have been grafted together from several different beasts, for the forearm was too long, the fingers too wide at the ends, and tipped with sharp nails. Whomever stitched the macabre reminder that Vincent's life was not his own any longer had done so with skill and clear fervor; there was barely any scarring at the seams at all. As he drug the appendage through his newly shorn hair, Veld looked away and picked up the small pile Reno had left on the table beside the gurney.

"Here, old friend; they should fit you well, considering they were the full Turk suit you never really got to wear." Instead of taking the clothes, though, the gunman stared long and hard at Veld, and Vincent's lip curled a little in disgust.

"Forgive me, but I have no desire to don the attire of the backstabbing monopoly that stole my father, my youth, and then my life. I'll have the clothing I was wearing in the coffin back, please." The elder Turk shook his head, and Vincent's eyes narrowed. "You mean to tell me that after all the hell I went through trying to find something that wasn't a total waste in that mansion to wear, that you then threw it away?"

"More or less...Vincent, please listen. Hojo had already stripped you to your birthday suit, tossed your clothes into a waste bin, and was busy hooking you up to more damned tubes when we finally got there. I had Tseng and Reno slip in, kidnap you, and get you back here. You had already been so sedated that we dared not give you anything else to ease your pain. Rude and I removed the tubes, stitched you up, and debated on the restraints. I chose to do them only because of the demons that manifest in your body. Nothing more, my friend. You didn't deserve to be hurt more." Vincent studied him, then sighed heavily.

"Fine. But this does not make me a member of the Turks. There are too many worms in the Tower for me to bear another round of hell."

"Fair enough. I just want to get you out of here with enough time to give Hojo the slip." Veld handed him the clothes, and turned away slightly, running his hand through his hair and sighing heavily. "Would you like me to fill you in on a quarter-century's worth of gossip, intrigue, and scandal?"

"I'll take the edited version, thank you."

"Well, in short, Shin-ra runs the world, mako is the strongest source of power and fuel, along with bloody expensive materia, and the three greatest warriors known to humanity have fallen at the hands of their own makers, for the most part. I heard Sephiroth was thrown into a mako reactor, Genesis and Angeal were destroyed by his major. Poor kid..." Vincent finished pulling the suit jacket on and zipped it up, studying the lay of the garment. His gauntlet would have to go on over the left sleeve, but that was fine for the time being. He closed his eyes a moment and pictured the boy Veld was talking about; likely Hojo had captured him, if the kid survived a blow from his beloved General. He hoped that the major would try to escape, but he knew too well how distant a possibility that could become. So Vincent returned to the waking world, and let the sadness drift back, pulling on the mask of a Turk as he checked his hair in the mirrored surface of one of the lights.

"Indeed...so, Wutai fell..."

"Not so long ago. It was a harsh campaign."

"But of course. No warrior would willingly give up his homeland."

"...Vincent?"

"Yes?" Veld turned now to catch his gaze, and the two men locked eyes.

"...I cannot be the Administrative Director forever, but I have the power to make another such. The problem is this; Tseng is not ready to fill the position, and he needs another with experience in Hojo's destructive capabilities to help figure out what the hell is going on down in the labs. We can't get close enough to even graze the surface."

"And you want me to take the position, enrage the old bastard, and conduct a plethora of surveillance activities?"

"I'm only offering it to the Turk who has earned the post."

"...I'm sorry, Veld. I can't. I have spent the past twenty-five years regretting that I ever joined Shin-ra, regretting that I ever met Lucrecia. In fifty-two years, I have lived four for myself. Not again will I willingly step into the role that earned me nothing more than an eternity in purgatory. I am no Turk; I am Vincent Valentine. And I am going home." He broke the eye contact first, and pushed his way past his former friend, reaching for the door just as he heard the faint click-click of a pistol's trigger readying. "You'd shoot a Turk in the back for saying no to your face, would you?"

"I'm not going to shoot anyone, especially if said Turk turns back around and tells me the answer I need to hear."

"Not a chance in hell, Veld. I am done with this monstrosity..."

"I need to save my daughter, Vincent." At that, the gunman turned, eyes narrowing.

"I thought I heard a rumor from the townsfolk that she'd died...That attack on Kalm resounded through the world, Veld. Even Nibelheim was buzzing with it; enough for villagers to break into the manorhouse to see if there was anything there that might hurt them. They found nothing, but they were right nonetheless."

"I know. I led that damned attack...and not a day goes by that I don't regret it. Felicia needs me right now; more than anyone realizes. She's got a madman almost as crazy as Hojo experimenting on her, and right now...right now she needs her father there to protect her. Heidigger's already calling for my blood; Scarlet, Palmer, and the others will soon follow. Rufus can't protect us anymore...that's why I need you, Vincent. You're the only one who can protect the Turks, especially the young ones, from a bastard like Heidigger...not to mention you really are the only one who can succeed me without a ruckus ensueing. Please, Vincent...It won't be for long, I swear to you...Tseng just needs a little more experience, and he'll be ready." He sighed, long and low...and glared up at Veld mildly.

"Fine...but you owe me a boon in return."

"Anything!"

"Don't die."

Two weeks later
Seaside Pier
Costa Del Sol

He had forgotten how hot the winds were in Costa del Sol, and Vincent closed his eyes against the glare of the sun on the glittering waters. He'd been sent out by Heidigger to await Rufus' arrival from Junon; why the young VP couldn't have just ridden the chopper with Reno and himself instead annoyed him, but he had no choice. Of course, Rufus was just barely a year younger than Reno, and he had only just acquired the vice president post, so his grasp on his newfound power was weak at best. Thankfully, the president had greenlighted a new training schedule for his son, suggested by Vincent, that would strengthen Rufus' shooting, martial art, and magic skills. He was a skilled fighter already, of course, but Vincent did not feel comfortable leaving him with only a paltry force of Turks just yet. That was why only Reno was with him today; Tseng, Rude, Cissnei, and the others were shadowing Rufus on the long trip across the sea. Speaking of the redhead...Vincent turned slightly, and motioned for Reno, who was sitting on a pier post brooding, to come over.

"What?" His disgruntled tone was almost enough to make Vincent frown, but he kept his face slack.

"Go take a break."

"Why? I'm fine out here, yo."

"You're bored, bitchy, and angsting more than I do. Go get a bottle of water and a snack." Reno's eyes narrowed, and he growled a little. He had a low opinion of authority, the older Turk knew that; it still didn't give him the right to disrespect him.

"Come on, boss, I'm not that bad."

"Yes, you are, and frankly, I'm getting tired of it. You never pulled this shit with Veld, and I have no idea why you're doing it with me. I know that I'm not him; I wouldn't try to take his place even if I could in this organization. But I do feel that I've earned a little respect, especially when Heidigger got drunk the night Veld left."

"...I'm sorry that you had to deal with him. I really am. But...you been gone for twenty years, an' things ain't the same anymore...We ain't the same. The surveillance you're runnin', the hackin' you're havin' Kunsel do...It's dirty work." Reno replied, his green eyes flaring a little. "An' I don't like it at all." Vincent sighed, pulling his hair over one shoulder, braiding it absentmindedly.

"Neither do I, Reno. You forget; when I was a Turk, we didn't do the dirty work; that was SOLDIER's predecessors. We were security for Shin-ra executives, employees, and the Tower itself. The most surveillance we ran was security footage. We didn't wiretap, didn't spy...didn't photograph. We mostly caught thieves, punks, and the occasional conspiracy theorist. It...was a job to be proud of...Had I been in the Turks when the decision was made to firebomb Kalm, it wouldn't have happened, even if I had had to sabotage everything."

"...So...why're you doin' it?"

"Because Veld asked me too...and because I don't trust Hojo as far as I can blow him away. Be wary of him, Reno; he's not only killed a Turk before, he's also done experiments on him. He's a monster in a lab coat, and that ego will only grow larger if he's given the leeway."

"So, you learned all of this through watching him and his flunkies?"

"...No. I knew it long ago. Do you know what happened back in Shinra Manor, right before Sephiroth's birth?"

"No, I don't. Does it have to do with our surveillance?"

"...It has everything to do with it. There was a young Turk, in love with one of the scientists. Sephiroth's mother, to be exact. He protested when she and another scientist elected to put the unborn child up for experimentation, and got himself shot in the stomach for it. As he was dying, the other scientist, Hojo, proceeded to use what he could of the Turk's body to check his demented theories. After a while, the Turk was transfered to his former lover's laboratory, and she did the same, twisting and scarring his body even more. He was pronounced dead on April 7th of the next year, and laid to rest in the crypt beneath the manor, where he lay in peace for the next two and a half decades...until Hojo returned." The look of horror dawning on Reno's face made Vincent turn away, to look back out over the waves, a deep sadness filling his heart.

"I learned, from the day that I set foot in the manor, that I was expendable as an asset of Shin-ra; I learned from Hojo that I was less than that, barely a tool. When he left me there...I couldn't leave. Physical chains could not hold me...but emotional ones were impossible to shake loose. And I learned something else, Reno..." He turned back, and held those green eyes in a long, soulful stare. "I learned that you can't rely on anyone but yourself in the end. None of my friends, not even Veld, came looking for me; I checked the records when I came back into the fold. I knew that being a Turk meant that you might end up dead; I never realized that it also meant that you don't look for the ones who go missing. As for the surveillance...that's to prevent any of that from ever happening again. Hojo's on the warpath in regards to his experiments; and he will stop at nothing. That answer your questions and concerns?"

"...Y-yeah...I'm sorry, boss..."

"...Don't be, Reno. You never knew; how can I hold that against you? However...No more disrespect. It grates on my nerves, and makes my eye twitch in a way that generally portends disaster."

"Oh..."

"Relax. Go get your drink, okay?"

"...Okay...You...you want somethin' too?"

"Just a water, please."

"'Kay..." As he disappeared into the crowds of scantily-clad tourists, Vincent smiled a little, and turned to the shadow hovering just out of range, his white coat slung over his shoulder.

"You needn't wait in the wings, Mr. Shinra."

"...You looked like you were busy."

"And that's stopped you before?"

"No, but for some reason, it seemed prudent to listen rather than interrupt."

"Indeed...did you learn everything about me, then?"

"...I still have a few questions, but they can wait for now. How is he?"

"Reno? I'm sure he's still taking it rather hard, but he'll be alright. Otherwise, there's nothing to be concerned with...save that you're playing a very dangerous game, my young master."

"I know the dangers, Vincent...Perhaps not as well as yourself, but I do know them. And I know, too well, that my father's schemes aren't going to work, no matter how much money he throws at them."

"And you want to gather the evidence to convict him?"

"Hardly. If I could get away with it, I'd have had you kill him the moment Veld came to me with you. Unfortunately, there's only one sniper in the known world capable of that sort of shot, and too many people know that he's in my employ."

"Pity. I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over him."

"Very much a pity...but I have another task at hand right now."

"The man in Rocket Town?"

"Exactly. Either way the wind blows, we need a healthy transport force, and airships are few and far between as it is. I'll not have Palmer destroy another possible contact."

"Can I kill him?"

"Gods, I wish. In any case, our resident ginger is returning...I suppose I'd best make it back to the ship and arrive with all of the pomp and circumstance due my position."

"Very well. Rude, Tseng, take care of him."

"Of course, sir." Rufus faded into the mass of white sailors, Rude and Tseng a pair of dark shadows behind him, as Reno reappeared, panting slightly, his face flushed with a silly grin. He'd apparently found a few slices of melon, and handing one to Vincent, promptly devoured his.

"Hungry, much?"

"It was crazy out there, yo! But this really hot chick was sellin' melons, an' one of 'em fell an' split, an' I got free shares 'cause I helped her out!" Vincent smiled, his eyes warming. It was sweet to see the kid acting like a kid, his green eyes laughing, lips a perpetual smile, his duties and secrets forgotten for a moment.

"Very good, Reno. Well, Rufus' ship is here; shall we head out?"

"Yessir!"

November 6th
Vice President's Office
Shinra Tower

Rufus stared down at the documents in his hand, blue eyes wide and glassy. Outside his windows, the autumn winds howled mournfully, echoing in the almost empty room. There...there was no way...but the proof was impossible to deny. DNA didn't lie, even when people did...He slowly turned, his eyes focusing on the lanky figure stretched out in an armchair across from him. Vincent's hell-red eyes were dark, their usual eldritch glow dimmed by a substantial amount of wine that he'd put away earlier, while he was busy reordering the private archives for Reeve. He held a glassful in his left hand, devoid of the garish claw so many were used to seeing. The black glove that covered it was buckled down, and Rufus cast his eyes away from it. Vincent had never once minced words with him, and that hadn't changed tonight, when just an hour ago, he'd rushed into Rufus' office, holding a thick bundle of folders. He'd slammed them on the desk, and leaned over it, a faint growl sounding through his deep voice.

"You had better read these, and read these well. Your very existence hinges on your decision of what to do with them." With that, he'd gone back down and returned with a bottle of red wine and a glass, perched carefully on a large stack of boxes. During the time it took Rufus to get through the papers, Vincent had cleared and organized the boxes, two of which lay discarded beside him. Now he lounged, eyes on his boss, waiting for a word.

"Where...where did you find these?"

"In a box half-mildewed on the bottom, clearly meant to be tossed in the trash."

"Was there anything else?"

"You've got everything that even remotely survived. And I don't know about you, but it implicates both of your parents in a great deal of trouble..." Vincent took a long gulp of wine and glanced up at the ceiling. "Kunsel, turn all surveillance off on the floor, and the ones above and below."

"Yes sir. I'll be on stand-by." Vincent leaned forward, filling his glass again, then sighed deeply, draining it in one swallow as Rufus let the papers fall, his hands rubbing his face.

"I...never knew any of this."

"I know. That's why I'm bringing it to your attention now. Lazard Deusericus, Reno Sinclair, and Fiona 'Cissnei' Ciseran are your illegitimate siblings. Lazard was your father's child, Reno and Cissnei your mother's. Reno and Cissnei could claim your position should they learn of it, as well as your inheritance." It was harsh to say it all in one go, but Rufus suspected that Vincent didn't care. He felt his stomach churn in disgust and fear, but it wasn't directed at Reno and Cissnei. It was the knowledge that his family name was once again associated with misery and suffering...and even at his young age, he was beginning to grow sick of it. Was there nothing that the Shinra Corporation hadn't done to harm others?

"I..."

"Do you know why they were given away?"

"It...says here that Father never knew about Lazard. But...Mother..."

"She had not been able to get pregnant via your father, so she had two separate pregnancies with her aide, and covered them up as miscarriages. When he found out, he had her artificially inseminated, producing you. Reno ended up living with a hag who forced him into prostitution, Cissnei with adoptive parents who abused and beat her daily. Lazard was forced through a variety of private schools and institutions, then he was nearly implicated in Genesis' desertion and the destruction that caused in Banora when he died. All three were older than you, and the younger two have a compelling reason to see your fall. But you've been good to the Turks, and they know that. Reno would die for you; so would Cissnei. Telling them this could destroy your relationship with them both...and could end your life."

"But...if it's clear that it was Father and Mother...not me..."

"That might not change a thing. You grew up with everything that they never had; the best teachers, safety, all your heart's desires...Reno had the gutter, Cissnei a basement, Lazard a early death. And placing just the blame on them won't work; at heart, they may always believe you knew, and never told them." Vincent's eyes caught his, and Rufus looked away first; he couldn't bear to meet those sorrowed eyes.

"What should I do?"

"...That, my boy, is the hardest part...but you can start by remembering Lazard. Where he died, place a marker; take those two with you. Explain everything, take the files; I'll stand by as a witness."

"...How do you do this, Vincent?"

"Do what?"

"Look at all the horrible things this company does on a daily basis and...distance yourself from it. How?"

"...A degree of mental and emotional numbing tends to help, I will admit. The truth is, youngster, that I just don't care enough to get angry anymore. That you do is admirable; that you're doing something about it, nigh heroic. But then, this is your generation to direct, not mine. I'm glad that you're doing something; I just hope, for your sake and theirs, that you'll be able to carry this burden with more grace than either of your parents."

"Alright. I'll...I'll have a conference here. Banora will still be off-limits, but I'm sure I can get Tseng to get us close enough to honor him...my...brother. Wow...it's strange. I've...always wanted siblings...And now I'm mourning one, and hoping that I won't end up being killed by two more."

"Yes, sadly, family is often the most volatile of places to be. Well, I'm going back to the archives; Hojo made an absolute mess of the place. Good night, Rufus."

"Tower Surveillance back online." With Kunsel's last words, Vincent picked up the remaining boxes, tossed the now emptied bottle in a wastebasket, and slipped out of the office, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpeting. Rufus sat back against his chair, running one hand through his hair, eyes closing. Gods...what do I do...?