A/N: In the last chapter, I know the song is called Beauty in the Breakdown, but I wanted to imply that Yuffie was breaking down and she didn't think she had anything left, hence the 'no beauty' part. Just to clear that up :) Thanks to the reviewers!

I am sad to say that this is a relatively short chapter. I had to get this one over with sooner rather than later. If its crappy, I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 or any of the associated characters.

Sunday, August 19

1:10

Just leave it to Vincent to make me cry. We were sitting there in the store that I just had to go into, and he was playing the stupid guitar that I had to make him play, and now he probably thinks I'm some sort of loser because I cried. I'm such a wuss!

The look he gave me was the worst part. Part curiosity, wonder, amusement…guilt.

After I started crying they all stared at me and of course Tifa just had to ask what was wrong.

"I…it's nothing. I'm totally fine!" I mustered up as much confidence and sincerity as I could and even though it convinced Tifa it didn't seem to ease Aeris' worry that much.

"Yuffie, honestly, are you alright? You've been acting kind of strange since that call from the doctor. What happened?" Wow Aeris, could you put your suspicion any more bluntly?

"Aeris, you guys, nothing's wrong. Swear!" I can feel Barret and Cid practically mocking me with their eyes.

"Yuffie." Cloud's slightly low tone makes me gulp and turn to look at him in the eyes. "If something was wrong…you would tell us, right?" I lock eyes with each one of them, lastly turning to look at Vincent. I nod slowly, exhaling the breath I didn't know I had been holding in. He looks down and then nods slowly.

"Well, we should probably be leaving now anyway. I'm thinking that we go get something to eat. You guys game?" We all nodded and said yes in varying fashions, me being the loudest because I was still trying to convince them that nothing was wrong with me. Ha. I'll show them. I may be dying, but I SO still have life in me.

2:30

Tifa showed us this amazing diner for lunch. All the girls skate around in pink poodle skirts and frilly sweaters with bangs and cute ribbons. There was the classic black and white checkered floor and the blaring neon lights that perfectly accentuated the pale beige wall. I choked out a small giggle at the uncomfortable look on Vincent's face from being surrounded with so much pink and bright light, but he certainly wasn't getting out of it.

We sat at the corner booth because we were such a big group, and in my opinion, we also got the best view. The window that was right behind me faced a big open road with orange tinged trees lining it and there were almost no cars. Plus the sky was a nice shade of blue and there was puffy white clouds shaped like animals.

"So what do you guys want for lunch?" Tifa asks.

Insert 'oh shit' here.

How am I supposed to eat something without throwing it back up?

I'm not even sure why I just don't tell them. Maybe it's pride? Well, that and the fact that if I admitted how sick I was it would be a serious blow to my self-esteem. I'm supposed to be the one who's always full of life, the girl who never shuts up and is always happy. And now I'm angsting it out over a sickness I barely understand. A sickness that will kill me. I don't really think the depth of the situation has sunk in yet about my predicament, but when it does I'll know it. I should figure it out soon though; I figure my days are limited.

Yeah. My days are limited. I should ration my time now that it's restricted.

"Hi, my names Amanda and I'll be your waitress today. Could I take your drink orders?"

What to drink, what to drink…

Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Root Beer, Lemonade, Green Tea

Wait, what? What kind of diner sells tea? I don't think I've ever actually had green tea though. Maybe I should try it. It wouldn't hurt.

"I'll have Green Tea, please." Tifa gives me a funny look.

"I'll have Pepsi."

And everybody else has some boring, regular soda. Points for originality, waitress! Do I get a prize? Maybe some more Green Tea? Or maybe an extend-your-life pill that hasn't been released to the public yet?

Ha. In my dreams. The waitress leaves before I can ask about the prize anyways.

"So, what do you guys want to do after we eat? There's a carnival in a couple of days, but until then I don't know what else is going on."

Let's see, let's see…what is there to do around here? WAIT! Utah is cold. Cold means ice.

"What about ice skating?" Tifa's eyes brighten.

"That's a great idea, Yuffie! Does anybody object?" Nobody objects, Tifa. Let's just eat then go skating before I get sick again. "Okay then. Skating it is!"

By now the waitress is back with the drinks and I am slurping away at my tea, finding that the herbal and soothing scents are making me feel a little better.

"Have you decided on your meals yet?"

Oh damn, I forgot that part. Well…grilled cheese? Maybe. A burger? No, something easy. Macaroni and Cheese will work.

"Macaroni and Cheese, please!" She smiles at my childish rhyming and takes the other orders.

"Hey, hey listen you guys. I got a joke." Oh great. Cid's jokes.

"One day, Pete complained to his friend, 'My elbow really hurts. I guess I should see a doctor.'

His friend said, 'Don't do that. There's a computer at the drug store that can diagnose anything quicker and cheaper than a doctor. Simply put in a sample of your urine, and the computer will diagnose your problem and tell you what you can do about it. It only
costs $10.00.'

Pete figured he had nothing to lose, so he filled a jar with a urine sample and went to the drug store. Finding the computer, he poured in the sample and deposited the $10.00.

The computer started making some noise and various lights started flashing. After a brief pause, out popped a small slip of paper which read:

You have tennis elbow. Soak your arm in warm water, avoid
heavy labor. It will be better in two weeks.

That evening while thinking how amazing this new technology was and how it would change medical science forever, he began to wonder if this could be fooled. He decided to give it a try. He mixed together some tap water, a stool sample from his dog, and urine samples from his wife and daughter. To top it off, he masturbated into the concoction."

Barret starts snickering at that part.

"He went back to the drug store, located the computer, poured the sample and deposited the $10.00. The machine again made the usual noises, flashed lights, and printed out the following analysis:

Your tap water is too hard. Get a water softener.

Your dog has ringworm. Bathe him with anti-fungal shampoo.

Your daughter is using cocaine. Put her in a rehabilitation clinic.

Your wife is pregnant . . . twin girls. They aren't yours. Get a lawyer.

And if you don't stop jerking off, your elbow will never get better."

By this point everybody is laughing, doubling over and clutching their stomachs. I'm kind of amazed to see that Vincent is smiling a little. As much as I want to, and I really do, I can't seem to laugh at this. The word 'doctor' is still echoing in my head.

Tifa is clutching her hand to her heart and turns to me, her face red.

"Yuffie why aren't you laughing? That was hilarious!" Oh, I'll tell you why. Because anything with doctors isn't very funny.

"…I don't know, Tifa. I just didn't think it was very funny…" People quiet down and look at me. Never have I felt as small as I do now, sinking down in my part of the booth and reddening slightly.

"Yuffie, what's wrong? And don't say nothing because I know something is up. There has been something wrong since you got the call from the doctor. And it's not like your si-oh." Leave it to Cloud to accidentally figure out that I'm sick. He is so stupid sometimes, but let me tell you when that kid wants to he can figure anything out.

"Yuffie, please tell me your not sick." Oh, that's it!

"Why, Cloud? Does it bother you?" I snap. "Worried that I'll infect you? Don't worry, it's not contagious. In fact, I don't even know how I got it in the first place!" I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I was now yelling at them and the whole table had stopped laughing and smiling to listen to me.

"Yeah, you heard me. I'm sick. It's called Hemosiderosis. Got it?" Screaming screaming screaming. "H-E-M-O-S-"

"Yuffie." Oh, Vincent.

"Yuffie…I had no idea you were sick. I am so, so sor-"

"I don't want your damn pity, spike!" I'm glaring at the checkered floor now and my eyes are welling up with tears.

"I wasn't trying to give you pity, Yuffie."

"Honey, it's going to be alright. You'll be fine soon, I'm sure." For once I just want to stand up and slap Aeris right in her sympathetic little face. No, honey, I won't be better. I'm going to die. I am never going to get a mid-life crisis, I'm never going to get married, and I'm never going to have children. All I get is to die. It is not okay. I am not okay.

Now I let out a choked sob, and my face is littered with tears. I put my head into my hands and my shoulders heave. Of all the places to start crying… Gawd, I am such a baby! What is wrong with me!

Tifa lightly places her hand on my shoulder, and I tumble into her arms which start to rub my back.

I can seriously feel Barret and Cid staring at me with their intense faces, but I don't even want to deal with them right now. Cloud and Aeris are probably still reeling with their pity, or maybe sympathy, but what's the difference really?

And Vincent… I lift my head up from Tifa's shoulder and turn to look at him. His eyes are slightly glazed over and he's wringing his hands in his lap. He turns his face to meet mine and he narrows his eyes slightly.

"Yes?"

"You…you…" I sputter. Does he ever show emotion?

"Oh, forget you Vincent!" He merely blinks at me and turns to look behind the booth.

"Shape up, Yuffie. Food's coming."

I swear to god, it's like the guy doesn't even have a soul. Why do I even bother with him? I shiver at the thought, and it's not from anger this time.

8:40

After the diner, we decided to just skip skating and come right back to Tifa's. I took a shower and just went and locked myself into the room she's letting me stay in. It just so happens, I was smart and brought along a little Discman and a set of small speakers that can plug into it. Plus my CDs. Who ever said that hours of sad music and rock can't make you feel better was a bad, bad liar.

Not that I feel much better really, just that it helps me forget what happened. Except the one thing I can't forget is Vincent's cold face looking at me like I was a piece of shit stuck to the floor. Gawd, Vincent… Like he cares anyway. Why do I keep thinking of him? I can't like him. 'Cause that would just be insane. He hates me. He will never think of me that way.

Knock.

"What?" They should have just left me alone for the night, but knowing Aeris and Tifa they must have sent someone to check on me or just come themselves.

"May I speak with you, Yuffie?" Damnit, Vincent!

"Whatever." Oh, my door is locked. I'm snickering and he's struggling with it, then he sighs.

"Yeah hold on, I'll be right there.

I get up and go unlock the door, opening it calmly and pushing it to the side. I really want to but somehow I manage not to look up at his intense eyes, but instead at his muscled chest, covered in stretchy black material. Why in hell is he wearing under armor? Does he like torturing people?

"Yuffie…" And now I lift my eyes to his, stormy gray roughly clashing with his heated crimson. "May I come inside? I would like to speak with you." Cut the formalities, Vince.

"Yeah. Whatever." I turn around, my hair splaying across his chest because we were so close, and suddenly I am wishing that hair had nerve endings. He moves faster than me and brushes my shoulder with his before he sits down on the edge of my bed. I follow.

It's comfortable silence for a couple of minutes then he shifts and I move completely onto the bed, crossing my legs and eyeing him critically.

"Why did you hide this from us?" My eyes squeeze shut and my heart freezes over slightly.

"Vincent… I hid it because…well, I'm really not sure. I guess I didn't want to admit to anybody, much less myself, that I was sick." He nods lightly and some part of me hopes he understands. "Self-esteem, y'know?" I offer weakly.

"Yes." That one word says so much to me. He understands. He practically just told me he did. Or maybe I'm over-analyzing this? Nah.

"Have you ever been sick like me, Vincent?" He turns to face me, his eyes no longer hard crimson but soft and gentle scarlet.

"No. I have not had anything worse than the flu or a cold." That must have been the longest sentence he has said to me this whole trip. Oh happiness! And in spite of myself, I manage to smile. This whole situation is just so ridiculous! What the hell is wrong with me? I should be out seeing the world or doing crazy shit like all the other dying people! Well, maybe not all the dying ones, but the ambitious ones with mobility. Yeah. By now I am full on laughing, and not just small laughs but heart-stopping and wall-shaking heaves. Vincent's looking at me funny, which just makes it all the harder to calm down. By now tears are pooling in my eyes and dropping onto the sheets.

"Yuf…fie?"

"Vincent, oh gawd! I'm so sorry, but I just…oh I don't know, I was just wondering what was wrong with me. And it ended up being…really funny, and I…just…and yeah…"

"There's nothing wrong with you, Yuffie." Hold, reverse, play!

"What?" In all honesty, did the Vincent Valentine say that to me?

"You heard me." Well maybe he did, and yes I did hear him. But that was the best thing I've heard all day.

"Thank you, Vincent." He looks at me skeptically and his eyes ask his question for him.

"For telling me that nothing is wrong with me. I really appreciate it." He nods and looks down.

And suddenly strange, creepy sounding music fills the room. Did I leave my CD player on…?

"I wanna give in to the woman in me. I wanna be someone they don't want me to be. The moral of the story is I got no choice. I must not chase the boys."

PLAY? When the hell did I make this CD!

Vincent is looking at me and his eyes are amused, his mouth curving into a tiny smile. Oh grace the gods; Vincent Valentine has smiled with me in his vicinity.

"Uh…heh heh…my bad?" He shakes his head as I switch off the CD player and the small smile is still there.

"You really are a piece of work Yuffie." My smile falls. That pretty much cancelled out the 'nothing's wrong with you, Yuffie'.

I must have a hurt look on my face or something, because his smile fades and he looks at me with a slightly sorrowful look.

"I'm…sorry." I shake my head and look away.

"That's alright Vinnie. I don't mind that much anymore." And now his face has a pained look, almost like he wants to take my hurt away and tuck it inside of himself. Protective are we, Valentine?

He continues staring at me and his face is totally blank. Oh damn, now I've gone and lost myself in Vincent's eyes. Vice Versa?

Somehow I slip on the silken material of my pants and I touch his knee with my hand. This clears his mind, apparently, because he coughs a little and pulls away.

"I must go now. Goodnight, Yuffie."

"Goodnight, Vinnie…" Cringe.

He gets off the bed and exits, closing the door with a small clack. Surprisingle enough, I don't think he realizes that I hear him mutter 'sweet dreams'.

And he shouldn't worry. I'll be fine tonight. I'm just glad he said goodnight to me.

Oh well. Sweet dreams to you too, Vinnie.

A/N: Yeah. Not the best, but I guess it's okay. Review por favor.