Three updates in one week? What am I? Crazy? I think so. I enjoy this plot, so much. I look forward to writing it. It's quite addictive. Plus, Sarah's breathing down my throat wanting updates like it's her job. Nevertheless, I adore this story. I hope to revise it and one day see it in print. I think big.

...Irrevocable...

Impossible to be retracted or recalled; unable to be repealed or annulled; unchangeable; irreversible; unalterable; as an irrevocable fate...

The sun was setting as I pulled into the parking lot.

6:45. How did I get here so quickly? Was my clock off? I parked and hurried to the lobby, assuming Reno would be somewhere in that area. I didn't really have a plan for tonight, but I knew I needed a night out. I took a seat on a leather couch, staring at the people walking past.

The people here never changed and they were all the same. All upper-middle class snobs who thought they knew more than the actual fighters behind SOLDIER. They kept us upstairs where we trained and were desensitized to their madness. The more I thought about it, the more I resented this place.

My eyes closed and I leaned my head against the cool cow hide. As they closed, my mind opened.

During my training as a third, Vincent was always around. He told me about his work. He found cures to diseases the fighters faced in the wild. On occasion, he found other ways to improve our...health. Most of the time, he couldn't go into great detail about his experiments.

We ate lunch together everyday. I didn't know much about his past. He never talked much about himself. I just knew he was 21 and lived two blocks away. We would talk about music, movies, TV – normal things. I loved hearing his voice; it was infectious.

Three weeks into my training as a third and I was all ready being promoted to second. Vincent said Sephiroth admired my strength and agility. I said Sephiroth was a prick and probably just wanted to see me suffer through harder training.

The day I was promoted to second, Vincent offered to take me to dinner, to celebrate. He asked me for my address; he wanted to pick me up. I blushed as I gave him the address to my parents' house. I didn't have the money to move in to the city quite yet, I told him. He shook his head and reached across the table, brushing my hand with his fingertips as he grabbed the slip of paper with the address. He promised to be by at 6.

I didn't know what to wear. I tried on countless outfits. I figured Vincent was just being nice to me because we were friends. That thought made me pick out black dress pants, a white undershirt and a black and white button up shirt. I was about to change for the 30th time when I heard Sora call my name.

I ran down the stairs, grabbing a coat on the way. I wasn't paying attention to my steps and ran straight into Vincent's chest. He chuckled as he pushed me away, "In a hurry?"

I shook my head. My words were few and far between in his presence. My mom came from around the corner. She nodded, knowing how I felt about him before I did. I shot her a smile and he led me to his car.

The restaurant was classy, to say the least. Italian. We sat at a small table off in a corner. Private and secluded. He ordered me the best wine.

"Um, Vincent?" I questioned. "Isn't that a little, well, pricey." Not that I didn't appreciate his gifts, but a 20 glass of wine was a bit steep.

Vincent shook his head and then his eyes caught mine, pulling me in. "Cloud, there's something I have to tell you," his voice was quiet. It made me listen closer to his words.

Once he knew he had my full attention, his hand moved to the table, stretching to grab my hand. I had never felt so much from one touch. Electricity passed through my veins and I was under his spell.

"I like you, Cloud Strife," he smiled in his words. "Will you be mine?"

A hand hit the back of my head. I shook away the sudden pain and opened my eyes to see Reno standing beside the couch. "You didn't need to hit me," I said through my teeth.

"I'd like to beg to differ," Reno flashed a crooked smile. "I've been saying your name for a minute or so with no result."

"Whatever," I muttered as I stood from my seat. "I'm going to change then we'll be out of here."

Reno nodded and took my seat on the couch. I returned from the bathroom in all black. A few suits cocked an eyebrow at my appearance but they all knew better than to tell on me. I tapped Reno's shoulder, "Ready to go?" I assumed he was; he was still wearing the same outfit from this morning. Very suitable to go out in.

Reno nodded as he stood, signaling with his hand for me to lead the way. We walked through the double doors and out to the parking lot. "So," he said. "Where exactly are we going?"

"The Robinhood," I said with a smile as I unlocked my door. "Good music, cheap alcohol." As if that was all it took for a good time.

He took a seat and closed his eyes, kind of leaning forward. I stared at him trying to figure out if he was OK or not. Then he suddenly sat up, grinning at me. "Sounds good," he said getting comfortable in my car.

I turned over the engine and started toward our destination. Then it dawned on me, "Um, Reno? Does it bother you if it's a gay club?" Even though I was gay, I realized I knew nothing about the man.

He shook his head, "I figured as much, you being Cloud Strife and all."

I sighed, "Don't tell me my reputation reached wherever you are from." SOLDIER tried to tell Vincent and me that we couldn't date, that it would look bad for the company. Vincent raised hell and threatened to quit. They changed the law. They couldn't afford to lose him.

Reno laughed, his disturbingly white teeth shone in the light from the streets. "I know a lot more about you than you think, and no, it wasn't hearsay exactly."

I tried to decipher his words. "What exactly do you know?"

"Enough," he answered too quickly. "Shouldn't you be trying to figure out who your new partner is?" He cocked an eyebrow and looked at me.

I tried not to stare; I was driving after all. "OK...So...," I struggled to find questions. Truth be told, I didn't care who Reno was or wasn't. I just needed an excuse to go out. "Do you live in the city now?"

"Yeah," he sat up and began to explain. "My family moved here when I did. My brother and...," he paused. I took note. "My cousins."

I nodded. "I live with my brother, too. Our cousin lives nearby."

"Sora and Roxas, right?"

"How did you..," this guy knew too much.

"My brother, Axel, and cousin, Riku, have class with Roxas. He's mentioned Sora to them," his voice didn't waver.

"Makes sense," I turned into the bar's parking lot. "Roxas was worried about Axel and Riku. Said they were weird," I chuckled at Roxas' misconception.

"Well, we can't go out in the daylight much, and thus, are extremely pale and not very sociable," Reno said. "I'd say we're kind of weird," he grinned.

"Wait, you said cousins. Who's the other one?" I turned off the car and looked at him, expecting an answer.

"He's about your age," Reno's face expressionless. "Maybe you two will meet soon." He quickly got out of the car. I couldn't help but feel I was missing something. I brushed it off and followed him to the bar.

I looked at the small brick building and nodded. It had been at least a year since I had stepped foot in the Robinhood.

The inside was dark and filled with people. I thought it was a bit early for such a crowd but shrugged it off. It was a Friday after all. Lights flashed and bodies swayed. I turned to look at Reno who motioned with his head to the bar. I nodded and followed.

He ordered us both a beer as we took a seat by the bar. I cracked mine open and took a swig. I promised Sora I wouldn't hurt myself. I decided to limit my alcohol consumption to three or four beers when I was out and none at home. A good compromise. "So, Reno," I motioned to the pulsating crowd, "See anything you like, or do you have someone all ready?"

"Hah, me with someone?" his laugh blended in with the music. "No, Strife, I date around, if you know what I mean." He watched me nod. "What about you?"

The question caught me off guard. No one ever asked me about my love life. Maybe he didn't know everything. "I..uh..I'm not over someone."

Reno closed his eyes and leaned forward again, the same expression on his face as was before in the car. The he opened his eyes and looked at me with a grin,"Tell me about him."

I sighed and took a long drink. "His name's Vincent. Tall, dark --"

"Let me guess, handsome?" he laughed.

"Actually, more mysterious than anything," I corrected with a sigh. "He wore a lot of red and black, probably to complement his black hair and red eyes.." I accepted I was rambling about Vincent, but Reno had asked. "He worked with me. We were going to get married until he, well, he passed away."

"Sorry, man," Reno patted my shoulder. He didn't look as sympathetic as most did when they heard my fiance has died.

I shrugged, "That's life, I guess." All of the sudden, I needed another drink.

"So, you never moved on then? No rebound?" Reno seemed like the type to not understand what death meant to a relationship.

"Nope. Just have been in Limbo for a few years. Don't think I'll date again for a long while."

"Hmm," Reno looked to the crowd. His eyes lit up. I squinted and saw a brunet guy about Reno's age eying him. "I would love to stay to chat, but I've found me some candy. Why don't you come out after that one?" he pointed to my fresh beer.

"I don't – "

"I'm coming for you in 10 minutes if you're still here," he said as he wandered away. I had to strain my ears to here the last few words.

I didn't expect Reno to be so – sociable. I turned the can slowly in my hands. I am sure I could have found someone to date by now. Hell, I could be married. No one seemed right. Only one person, and he's gone.

It had been a few years since we started dating. I was 23 at the time. We had our own house. Both our salaries were more than enough to pay the mortgage. We spent days at work and nights with each other. Life was simple, perfect.

As our three year anniversary approached, Vincent grew a tad distant. Two weeks prior, he didn't come home from work. We got off at different times. I had made dinner but he never showed. I thought the worst, but when he came home he kissed my forehead and assured me there was nothing to worry about.

Episodes of that sort happened quite frequently. He would leave the room to talk on the phone and was gone on lunch breaks. I worried the idea of a three-year relationship scared him. I tried to give him his space.

The night before our anniversary, I came home to Vincent sitting on the couch, luggage strewn about the living room. My eyes filled with tears as I walked in to the room.

"Vincent – " I was ready to plead for him to stay. I had a pretty good argument lined up in my head.

But my side was never heard.

He got off the couch and walk to me. His arms brought my body close to his and he kissed my neck. "Sorry to hide this from you. Had to make arrangements. Airline companies are horrible to work with," he separated us a bit to handed me two tickets. "They're to Rome. Happy three-year."

The next few hours flew by. We were almost late to the airport because of the"celebration." Vincent grew impatient as the minutes ticked by. I figured there was some plans he made that we were probably missing due to a storm over the Atlantic.

After settling in our room, he handed me a garment bag and told me to wear the contents. I opened the bag and put on the suit. I entered the front room and sighed, "This had better be good." He knew how much I hated dressing up.

His arms were around me in a fraction of a second, "You look beautiful, isn't that enough?"

I blushed as I heard a knock on our room's door. "Ride's here, Mr. Valentine," the voice behind the door said.

He clasped his hand around mine and lead me out of the hotel. A black limousine greeted us with open doors. He let me climb in first. Once inside, I tried to object to the amount of money he was spending, but again, my voice was never heard. He instead showered me with soft kisses, telling me how much I meant to him.

Our ride stopped at an up-scale Italian restaurant. He lead me inside to a table off to the side, secluded, private. Waiters brought us wine and appetizers without him or me having to say a word.

The night progressed slowly, and I wouldn't have wanted it anyway. Classical music played as we remembered the length of our relationship. Dessert had just been served when his face grew a bit more serious than before.

"I never thought I would meet someone as perfect as you," he said, reaching across the table to hold my hand. "Every day I spend with you is the best day of my life."

Never once letting go of my hand, he moved off his chair and knelled before me. He pulled a box out of his coat and looked into my eyes.

"Cloud, will you marry me?"

I shook my head and looked at my empty beer can, it was barely visible. Had the lights dimmed that much in 10 minutes? I crunched it in my hand and closed my eyes. "I love you, Vincent," my words were quiet, absorbed by the sound around me.

"I love you, too, Cloud Strife."

I spun my seat around and blinked hard. My eyes were lying to me. A man Vincent's age, wearing Vincent's clothes, with Vincent's hair and Voncent's eyes stood before me. I stood as my hand reached to touch his face, at the same time knowing I had either died or gone off the deep end. My left hand lightly pressed against the right side of his face. It was cold, too cold. I tried to pull my hand away, but it was stopped by the pressure of his left hand upon mine.

My eyes widened as they focused.

We had matching rings.

"Vincent," my voice whispered as my gaze lifted from my hands to his eyes, red as always. How could I ever doubt it was him? "Vincent!" my voice heightened.

"Cloud," his arms pulled me close to his chest as he feverishly kissed me neck and cheeks. His lips were cold but produced the same warm reaction that they used to. Every spot he touched felt like it was on fire.

"How, how is this possible? How are you here?" my head rolled back inviting the touch of his lips to my neck. "This can't be," I moaned.

His body grew hard and stiff as his head darted to the entrance of the club. "We have to go," he beckoned, pulling my body away from the bar.

"But, wait!" I cried. "I don't even know if it's you. This could be a trick, a dream. This – "

He spun around grasping me close to his body. Lips pressed hard against my own. My eyes closed as his lips rolled over mine.

And as quickly as the moment began, it was over.

"We don't have time, Cloud," his voice was rushed. "We have to go." He gently grabbed my arm and pulled me to the back of the club.

My mind swirled as people parted to let us through. Vincent, my Vincent, was holding my arm. My Vincent had just kissed me. My Vincent was alive.

He pushed open a door that lead us to the back parking lot where a black SUV sat waiting for us to enter. He opened the door to the backseat and motioned me inside. I blinked when I saw Reno driving the car. He tipped his head and smiled as I climbed to the far side of the vehicle. A man with long, silver hair sat in the passenger's seat. He looked Sora's age.

Vincent climbed in, immediately pulling me to his lap. The SUV raced through the parking lot, heading off into the night at alarming speeds. His arms held me tightly as he whispered in my ear, "Every thing's going to be OK now. I'm never going to leave you again. I love you." He kissed my hair and smiled.

"I love you, too," the words cracked as I spoke them. Nothing made sense. I buried my head in Vincent's arm and closed my eyes.

Then his lips were against my ear again, "I'll explain later. I promise." He kissed my cheek and I turned so I could see his face. He hadn't changed except his complexion was a bit paler than before, and his arms that were holding me, they produced no heat.

"Are you OK?" I whispered.

"Depends on what version of OK we're talking about," he grinned then focused his attention on the man in the passenger's seat. "Cloud, that's Riku. Riku, this is Cloud."

"Hey," I said quietly. Riku had silver hair that fell down his back. His eyes were a startling aquamarine color and his skin was the palest of all.

"Hello," his voice was fluid. "I believe I know your cousin, Roxas."

"You do," I nodded. Riku turned around and stared out the windshield.

"Did they spot me?" Vincent said.

Reno shook his head. "We got out just in time," he glanced back. "They probably still think you're gone."

"Good," Vincent tightened his grip on me. "Think it's safe to go to Cloud's?"

"We'll drive around for about an hour then all should be clear," Riku answered. "I'm coming, too. Someone needs to keep an eye out while you fill him in."

"Sounds like a plan," Vincent focus went back to Reno. "You think you can cut off their tracking devices?"

"Piece of cake," his flipped his hand at us. "In a few hours, you'll be able to do whatever you want whenever you want with whoever you want." Reno chuckled at the end of his statement.

Nothing they said made a lot of sense to me. For whatever reason, a guy I just met had to look out for Vincent and me while my partner from work had to keep whoever was looking for Vincent out of sight. I looked at Vincent with pleading eyes, "Um, should I be worried?"

He shook his head and smiled softly, "No, love. Not anymore."

Reno turned on music, I assumed to give us some privacy.

"Where have you been?" my hand touched his iced-over skin. "What happened to you..."

His hand brought mine down from his skin. "Cloud, I will tell you in time. It's a hard story. I really would love to be home to tell it," he kissed my hand before returning it to my side.

Home. The word brought comfort.

"So, you're back? For good?"

"Yes," his fingers twirled my hair before he lifted my body to his chest. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"Believe me, I do." My arms wrapped around his body as tears fell from my eyes.

A long moment passed. I never wanted to move ever again.

"So, how's Sora doing?" Vincent said, still holding me to his chest.

"He's alive. Same state I've been in, basically," I pulled back to look at the eyes I hadn't seen for so long. "He'll be better the moment he sees you."

"Good good," his lips brushed against mine as he spoke. "Are you better now? You have no idea how much you worried me."

At first I tried to decipher his words, but failed. I knew he would explain in time. "I'm better," I concluded. "Much better."

His lips pressed against mine and didn't leave until we pulled into our driveway.