A/N: I don't own this stuff

A few months later…

"Cloud, come on tell me what you did with her? I'm worried." Tifa placed a glass down behind the bar and squared up to Cloud.

He had gone out a couple of hours ago with Shelke, as she had taken to going to deliveries with him about a month ago or so.

"Look, she has a home now ok? She didn't really fit in as well as we'd hoped did she and she's happy at this new place. You make it sound like she fell of the back of Fenir and I just drove off or something"

"Oh Cloud, please just tell me where she is, what If Vincent wants to write to her?"

Cloud gave her a sceptical look and turned away. "Yeah and What If Vincent was going to adopt her himself, shall we add both of those suggestions to the "Things that aren't going to happen" list."

Tifa gently placed her hand on his arm to stop him from leaving the room. "Come on, just tell me or i could give you another suggestion for the "Things that aren't going to happen" list, is that what you want." she teased.

"No." He heaved a sigh and gave in "Shelke is with Elmyra."

"Oh, I see, well I'm glad, I just wanted to know she was with someone we could trust. That's all." Tifa smiled. "Cloud You can talk about Elmyra to me and anyone else, you do know that, don't you?"

They were interupted by the front door opening, Vincent walked in as if it were a regular occurance.

"Well this is a nice surprise, how are you." Tifa rushed behind the bar and poured him a drink. Vincent sat up at the bar.

"I am well, thank you Tifa, and yourself."

"Not so bad, oh um Shelke has moved in with Elmyra."

"Who is Elmyra?" Vincent asked furrowing his brow.

"You remember, she was Aeris's mother."

"Right."

"So what have you been up to recently?" Asked Cloud as he leant against the bar.

"Up to?"

"Been keeping busy, you haven't just been sitting in that cave have you?" Tifa enquired.

"No, I don't go there anymore." He dismissed. "I have been working for Reeve."

"How is Reeve, oh and Yuffie."

"Reeve is well, but as for Yuffie, I don't know. Reeve hasn't been giving her any assignments recently so I haven't seen her... I don't suppose you have spoken to her?"

"Nope, Hm it's not like Yuffie to keep so quiet."

"Are you worried about her?" coaxed Cloud.

"I am grateful for the help she often gives to me, I would not like to think that she thinks it goes unappriciated, so i would want to return the favour if she were in any sort of trouble."

"Well, she hasn't rung me for a long time, which isn't like her. But I expect she is just busy."

Vincent shrugged, "Perphaps, I wanted to return this materia I borrowed."

"So not a social visit then?"

"No, of course, it is always nice to see you." Vincent placed the materia on the bar and bid them farewell.

"Well I suppose we should be grateful that he actually speaks now." Said Tifa with a shake of her head.

"Ah he's just a complicated guy; he doesn't know how to show that he cares for his friends."

"Trust me Cloud, I know all about complicated guys." Tifa gave a wry smile.

"Humph, what does that mean?"

"G'night Lady Yuffie, I have to get home for my dinner now!" The last of her gang of students waved her goodbye.

"Yeah, G'night." Yuffie didn't really want to admit that she had taught them all she knew; she was feeling pretty useless at the moment. Reeve didn't really have any work for her to do and Godo had started taking a far more active role in the rule of Wutai. So she was left to her own devices and while it was fun teaching the children she couldn't help feeling lonely.

She skipped and spun in her usual style back to her house, in order to make sure that her body language did not give anyone any inclination of how she was really feeling.

When the door was safely shut behind her she allowed her façade to slip. She flopped down on to her bed and dug the three headed dog pendant out from under her pillow. Pouting she ran her finger over the metal.

"Oh what did you do to me? I never wanted to care so much, why did I have to go and make friends anyway."

Silence rung all around her, she looked out over her beloved Wutai and remembered life before AVALANCHE. It had sucked, really really sucked. So perhaps it wasn't so bad having a little crush on Vincent, even if he was a clueless babe who was hung up on a science chick from long ago, because at least she actually had friends now.

"Which one are you, Cid? Cloud? Reeve?" Asked Godo as he inspected the man who was looking for his daughter.

"I'm Vincent Valentine."

"Oh yeah, I think she's mentioned you a couple of times. You used to be a Turk right? Got involved with some Shinra scientists?"

"That was a long time ago."

"I haven't seen Yuffie; I didn't even know she was back in Wutai. If she's anywhere she'll be at her house, which is down there, or up Da Chou."

"Thank You for your information."

Godo returned to the pagoda and left Vincent alone in the rather empty town of Wutai.

His instincts told him to check her house first as it was getting late and Yuffie would probably avoid the mountains at night.

"Vincent? I wasn't expecting you" Yuffie said with surprise as she opened the door. "Come in"

"I apologise, perhaps I should have phoned you first." He said as he entered her house.

"No, no not at all, it's very nice to see you." They both knelt down at the small table in the living room.

"So to what do I owe this pleasure? Has Reeve got some work for me? He really shouldn't have sent you so far out of your way." Yuffie poured some Sake for the two of them.

"No, I just thought I would check up on you, make sure you are alright."

Yuffie almost choked on her sake, "Really? You were worried about me?"

"I knew that if I hadn't spoken to you in a while that you would be worried, so I became concerned when I didn't hear from you."

"Vincent, I, well I'm surprised! I guess I just didn't want to bother you." She confessed.

"But Yuffie you are so good at it. Heh" His voice remained in its usual dry tone, if she hadn't have been concentrating his little joke might have passed her by.

Yuffie stopped and looked at him, "Vincent, checking up on me and making jokes. I'd almost think I was dreaming."

He gave a slight smile "It's been known to happen," he downed his drink. "

"So how is Shelke?" She asked changing the subject.

"Fine I guess, she has gone to live with Mrs. Gainsborough so I've heard."

Yuffie smiled "That's nice, I bet that Mrs. G has been lonely."

Silence passed between them as they both took another drink.

"I have something of yours; I meant to return it sooner but…" Yuffie reached behind the screen in front of her bed and presented him with the symbol from his gun.

"I thought I had lost that."

"You did, but don't tell Cloud because I impressed him by saying I light fingered it. I found it hanging from some debris and I couldn't just leave it there because I thought it would be like leaving apart of you behind. I suppose that I didn't really want to do that"

"Keep it."

"Really? Thanks!" Yuffie was glad, she really didn't want to give it back in the first place but Vincent always had a way of making her do the right thing even without saying anything.

"Yuffie…It's so quiet here, is it like this all day long?" Vincent glanced around her house.

"In this house it is, except for those cats meowing, which is annoying. Hey I bet that probably explains why I talk so much, right?" Yuffie chuckled nervously and looked away, she scratched the back of her head.

Vincent breathed a slight laugh, "It amuses me when you do that, do I make you nervous?"

"Gah, yeah kinda."

"Why?"

"I dunno, maybe it's because of all the sexual tension." She said looking him in the eyes, trying to regain some dignity.

"Yuffie! Heh I think you make me a little nervous also." He confessed

"I'm telling you, it's all the sexual tension. Come on, let's keep drinking until it goes away or at least until we sleep together." Yuffie poured more sake.

Vincent shook his head in amusement; trust Yuffie to speak so boldly in such an awkward situation.

A/N: R&R please, thanks to those who reviewed already 3 X