A/N: I'm well aware that after you all read this, you just might hate me… but don't worry. It can't be a Yuffentine without the –ntine… keep that in mind. Also I got two reviews last chapter, so if I don't get some, I get sad and my plot bunnies leave… then I won't be able to post the next chapter and you'll never know what happens! As always, I don't own anything.

WARNING: Character death follows…


Chapter 7: If There Was a Time

Three Weeks after Lady Yuffie was reported missing…

Yuffie sat on the edge of the landing, her legs between the slats in the banister, her sneakers having slipped off as she swung her legs in an almost child like manner. It was funny, she'd been with Vincent in the house three weeks and during the day, when he'd ask her questions, she was able to get away without answering, however when she crawled in bed with him every night, he never tried to talk about pressing matters or ex-husbands. That was their time to be together, even if they really weren't. She didn't know if she could really go there, even though she loved him, and she'd finally admitted that to herself. She'd never stopped, no matter how pissed she was at him… she still got a painful flutter in her chest whenever they were close. The kunoichi felt like a babbling sixteen year old again, unfortunately.

Right then, she was on door duty. Vincent was waiting for Reeve to bring Shelke to visit; apparently the Rui girl did it a few times a year, probably because she got bored with Spike. Yuffie suppressed the jealousy in her heart… it wasn't like she didn't know anything about Vincent that the ninja already did, it was just… she'd got to see him all these years. Her roommate would have been here to answer the door himself; but he'd taken Yuki out into the huge yard in back to teach her to use materia, and the girl would not be deterred.

So here she was, her face pressed between the wood beams on either side of her, her thin arms wrapped around two of the poles and she waited. The woman knew she could be doing other things… but really there wasn't anything to keep her occupied in the huge mansion, and she couldn't really leave it for fear that someone would recognize her. It wasn't much different then when she was in Wutai, only she didn't have to worry about ducking punches… and she got to live with Vincent. Seeing him with his daughter, and how close they'd become in such a short time was worth anything.

Finally the doorbell rang and she hopped up, taking the marble stairs two at a time. She was excited to see Reeve, and even though she'd have her disagreements with Shelke, the ninja really wanted to see her too. Yuffie made it to the door and pulled it open, the smile instantly falling from her face. Her husband was standing there, alone but that was more then enough, a cold glare on his face. "Ha… Hatori… what are you doing here?"

The man pushed her aside, his hand going to her neck in a death grip, lifting her up off the ground. She clawed at him, but he did not relent. "I'm taking what is mine, even if I know she is not my blood. Without that brat I have no claim to the throne. So I'm taking the princess, and getting rid of her troublesome, adulterous mother." He threw her hard, causing her to come to a slide on the floor, her shoulder making a sickening pop as it dislocated and went limp. Her husband pulled out a gun now, and she sneered. "You will not rule Wutai, you are a coward, facing down an unarmed warrior. Vincent is ten times the man you are, and I'm proud to know my daughter is his." It had never been spoken to him, who the brat belonged too, though he'd known it stung to hear it shouted for all. He was shaking with rage, and that was probably the only thing that saved her, because when he discharged the pistol, it hit her thigh instead of her abdomen.

.:xXx:.

Vincent had just congratulated his daughter for her first successful casting when he heard a gunshot go off. His eyes went wide and Cerberus came out of its holster, and he put his hand on Yuki's shoulder. "Go, out the side gate and into town. Go right to the Inn and don't move." When the little girl nodded and took off at a run, he went right for the house. It took a few moments for him to get to the entrance hall, where he'd left Yuffie to wait for Reeve. He was shocked by what he saw, a man burning in anger with a gun pointed right at his Yuffie. He realized who the man was and a snarl tore from Vincent's throat, and he didn't hesitate in releasing three slugs into the man. He fell, the gun clattering to the floor.

Sure that the danger had been avoided, he ran to Yuffie, kneeling down in front of her. "Are you alright?"

The ninja was shivering, probably from fright and pain, it looked like her shoulder had been ripped from its place, and she was bleeding from a gunshot wound. He pulled his bandana from his hair and carefully wrapped the wound, before holding her secure and fixing her arm. The kunoichi nearly threw up from the intense pain, but the gunslinger kept her safe and she calmed quickly. "It's alright Yuffie…" he whispered, his hand moving to the back of her head as the broken woman sobbed onto his chest. "I'm so sorry…" he couldn't help but whisper… if he'd just stayed with her, none of this would have happened. He hadn't looked to see if the man was dead, and unfortunately that proved his undoing.

Hatori had pulled himself across the floor, leaving a bright red streak across the bright white tile, a macabre contrast that mirrored the crimson-cloaked man cradling his wife. His hand made it to the pistol and he raised it, squeezing the trigger. The bullet flew, and the dying man didn't even get to see if he hit anything before he succumbed to his injuries, but he might have been happy at his luck.

Vincent had taken Yuffie into a gentle kiss, the fright of nearly loosing her causing him to pull her into an embrace. He couldn't help himself, she was so scared and close, and all he wanted to do was make her bad feelings leave. He was enjoying the gentle feelings, her taste, how she felt letting himself for once really feel the intense emotions he had for this lovely woman. When he pulled back a bit, he couldn't help but tell her. If there was a time, then it was now, and the poetic words slipped from his lips before he even realized it. "I love you…"

The silence and beauty of the moment was shattered when the bang of the gun echoed in their ears and Vincent moved to shield his beloved. The bullet struck him in the back, going straight to his heart, and the only thing that prevented it from killing her too was the Protomateria in his chest.

Yuffie couldn't understand what was happening as Vincent slumped in her arms, his head lulling against her shoulder. "Vince…" she whispered, shaking him, "come on, this isn't funny…" She couldn't feel his breath on her skin, and her hand went to the wound. It came back bright red, the color she'd come to love because of her gunman. "No…" she whispered, shaking him more violently, a sob tearing itself from her throat. "Gawd, no… Vincent wake up, you can't leave me… Wake up, you jerk…" She clutched him to her chest and rocked him back and forth, trying everything she could to try and get him to open his eyes. He was gone, and a hollow scream rang through the empty house. "I didn't even get to tell you, you can't leave me… please come back…" she whispered, tears falling freely and soaking into cloth on his shoulder.

.:xXx:.

Reeve smiled to the young woman next to him as they started up the walk to Shinra Manor. He was looking forward to seeing Yuffie again, and making sure she was all right. Though, seeing the door to the mansion open, he seemed to sense something was wrong. The gunshot and subsequent scream just pushed him into action, and Shelke seemed to agree. They went right for the door, horror coming to both their faces at the scene. They could tell by the condition of Vincent's body that he was dead, but it had only been moments, and Yuffie was rocking him, babbling for him to wake up. Reeve ran over and tried to get her to let go so he could see if there was anything to be done, but seeing the hole in his back, he knew it was too much for a Phoenix Down, and Cloud had the only Summon, and was half the world away… it would be too late. "Yuffie… he's gone… I know-" he cut himself off at the wild glare she gave him, then watched as her puffy gray eyes went to Shelke.

"You…" she croaked, not willing to let Vincent go yet, but she moved to her knees… "Bring him back."

The orange haired girl shook her head, "I can not Yuffie Kisaragi, he would not want to anyway…"

The kunoichi snarled herself; looking almost bestial in her frantic attempt to stop this. "I don't want to talk to you, where's Lucrecia. I want her out, NOW!" The ex-Tsviet frowned, but before she could stop it, her eyes flashed orange and a new, older voice came out. "He would not want to be cursed again."

"I don't care what he wants, he's coming back. He already has the Protomateria, and there's no Hojo fucker to mess with him. Infuse him again Lucrecia… fix him! He was just starting to live, this is my entire fault, and you have to help him! Before it's too late!"

She stepped forward, and the small hand that was Shelke's gently brushed his loose hair from his peaceful face. "He's still warm, in my lab, I have what I need… we must go now. Reeve…" she looked to the WRO commissioner. "Please carry him, and follow me." The engineer knelt down and picked up Vincent, looking to Yuffie. "Where is your daughter?" Yuffie shook her head, "at the Inn, it was our plan, to send her to town if there was trouble. The old man there will look after her. I'm not letting her come home to learn her father's dead."

The older woman in the young body looked up with concern, "it might not work."

Yuffie shook her head as she started to lead them to the basement, "it will work, you have Shelke in there too, between you, and you'll save him. We're wasting time." Reeve looked to his friend and was very concerned with how dead her voice sounded. This had better work…