A/N: I hate getting stuck on a chapter. The last one didn't end the way I wanted it to, this one wont start the way I wanted it to… I hope it's not too bad...please don't mind grammar errors, microsoft word has been freaking out on me lately....stupid program!
Yuffie and Tifa had walked into a scene that, had it not been for the fact that everyone was dead set on hurting one another, would have been comical. Vincent had his gauntlet wrapped around Reno's neck while Reno had his super charged baton against Cloud's neck, ready to electrocute the blond if Vincent didn't release him. Rude had his gun drawn, though not pointed at anyone person directly, and Yuffie suddenly found herself in a rather precarious position with Tifa simply staring in shock and awe.
If there was one redeemable quality about the current situation Yuffie found herself in, it was that she herself had not been struck by a stray bullet or a metal gauntlet, which at the moment was attached to an incredibly irate gunman. She'd never seen him this mad before, and despite what Tifa had said in the car she did not find it in any way, shape, or form 'cute' or 'endearing'. He was just as possessive as any man she'd met who hadn't been physically tampered with. It frightened her to see him staring with such anger and hatred burning behind his garnet eyes. She reasoned he was more than likely too furious at this point to see anything but red, and by red she knew it was the red headed, insolent man behind her. Of all the strange situations she'd found herself in the last several years, her putting her body between two Turk's wasn't even in the top 100. She could honestly say she never saw this one coming, her standing in Reno's apartment with Vincent ready to put that gauntlet of his to good use, and her standing in the middle. Not the safest thing she'd come up with, but so far it seemed to be working as she desperately tried to talk Vincent down.
"Vincent…he's not worth a felony charge. You kill him and you'll wind up spending the rest of your freakishly long life alone." Vincent released him, though he drew Cerberus and shoved the barrel against his head. Yuffie attempted to move forward toward him while Tifa and Cloud dove in behind her and drug Reno back to what they considered safety.
Vincent's piercing gaze cut right through her once it locked onto her. He was angry with her for moving his target, angry she got in the way, he probably thought in some way that her protecting him meant she still had feelings for him.
"Why are you not angry with him?" Vincent watched her a moment, the curious expression he wore was nearly enough to make Yuffie laugh.
"I am angry, you fool! Don't you see that? Weren't you there at the bar when he accosted me? I'm fuckin' ready to tear him to pieces! But I will not murder him." She bit out angrily.
Vincent shifted, lowering his weapon suddenly. He turned just as quickly and left through the same window he'd broken into Reno's apartment with much less flourish than his entry. Rude, Cloud, and Tifa exchanged confused glances before all three stood and followed Yuffie to the window. She was out in a flash and chasing him up the side of the building.
He leapt from rooftop to rooftop in an effort to escape his tumultuous rage. If he could just run a little farther, a little faster…
"Vincent, please stop…" Yuffie struggled to catch her breath. "I know you're angry, but this isn't going to-"
"I need you to understand." He stopped and turned so suddenly she nearly collided with him.
"Wha-understand? What do you mean? Why in Leviathan's great name do I have to understand?! You tried to murder a guy for touching me." She cocked her head to one side curiously, still panting.
"I need to you to understand how…hard it is…" He glanced down at her, his crimson eyes held a certain misery she hadn't seen in many years. She wished then that she didn't actually have any insight into what, exactly, he was talking about. "I watched him kill her, I was powerless…and now, now with such strength and speed. Even now I-" Yuffie closed the distance between them, her eyes never leaving his.
"This is not that time, I am not that woman…you are a different man now, Vincent. Violence now is irrelevant, it is over and no one was hurt. Isn't that victory enough?" She smiled brightly up at him, and what was once a tortured visage of pain and weakness was now the very picture of strength and courage he needed. "You need to keep your claw to yourself. I can handle Reno, really." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Vincent bowed his head, closing his eyes for a moment. He collected his thoughts and feelings quickly before lifting his head and his gaze back to meet hers. "Thank you." His voice intoned gently. Yuffie gave a slight nod of acknowledgement in return.
"Let's go." He followed her wordlessly through the night back to 7th Heaven. All the while tossing her words around. She knew him better, he realized with a bit of a start and a stumble, than he knew himself. Yuffie glanced back at him with a hint of amusement, though kept her forward momentum going.
For two weeks Vincent and Yuffie called the bar home. Yuffie helped out with the bartending and cooking while Vincent helped Cloud with his deliveries. It was nice for Tifa, she enjoyed having her friends so close. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed Yuffie's laugh until she'd gone without it for so long, now it was as though she'd never left. Vincent had begun to let down his barriers. It started with the hint of a smile and a look he'd cast Yuffie's way. She claimed he even laughed at her jokes. Tifa couldn't stop smiling, everything was going so well. Cid threatened to visit in a week, Barrett was stopping by in a day or two, and then there was Nanaki, who was always near Yuffie. They were like two peas in a pod, he always had a sixth sense about her, was always around when she needed him to be. Not to mention he was enjoyable conversation for Vincent when Yuffie was busy with Tifa or off and about.
"I am pleased with the way things have turned out." Nanaki's voice startled Yuffie out of her daydreaming. She glanced back at him from the window by her bed. Vincent lay asleep beside her. She smiled wistfully at her friend, patting the space beside her.
"Me too, Nanaki. Thank you for seeing me through this…" He carefully settled himself at Vincent's feet, which earned him Yuffie's affectionate petting. "I never saw this for myself, but I'm glad…"
"As am I." He gave her a feline smirk. "It has not been the easiest conquest. However, you have persevered and I firmly believe you both are better for it." Yuffie smiled, resting her forehead against his.
"You are the best friend I could have ever asked for." She whispered. She lifted her head, turning in time to catch the sun rising over the hills. She smiled as she felt Vincent's warm hand wrap around her midsection. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Vincent regarded the sunrise a moment longer before nodding silently, placing a gentle kiss against her shoulder. "Indeed."
"Good morning, Vincent." Nanaki inclined his head in greeting. Vincent nodded, rubbing the fire cat's head gently.
Yuffie turned when she heard what sounded like a herd of chocobo running down the hall. As she expected, her door flew open and Marlene stood their with Denzel.
"Mornin' Yuffie and Vincent!" She announced happily. Nanaki lifted his head with huff of mock frustration. "Hi Nanaki!" She bounced excitedly.
"Well you just gonna stand there or are you two going to give us a hug?" Yuffie waved them over. "So, this must mean Barrett's here then, huh?" Denzel gave her a hug and shook Vincent's hand before he and Marlene pounced on Nanaki.
"Yup, he and Uncle Cid and Aunt Shera are down stairs talking to Cloud and Tifa." Marlene giggled as Nanaki swatted playfully at both kids. Yuffie turned to Vincent and motioned toward the shower. With a nod they both stood.
"Ok, guys. You're gonna have to take that downstairs. We're going to get ready and we'll be down in a minute." Yuffie ruffled Nanaki's hair. He eased himself off the bed and trotted out toward the living room, Marlene and Denzel hot on his heels. Yuffie closed the door with a laugh. "It's nice to have family around again, ya know?" She turned to see Vincent leaning against the door frame of the bathroom in nothing but the pants he wore to bed. She felt a slight blush rise to her cheeks at the sight of him.
"Yes, it is." He answered simply, half smiling at her. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest, savoring the simple feeling of skin against skin. Vincent felt a slight smirk lifting his lips at the sight of her. She was of course the more affectionate of the two, though that didn't seem to deter her even in the slightest.
"I love you, Vincent." She whispered.
"I know." She frowned and swatted at him. "Jerk." She frowned, not missing the amused glint in his eye.
"The feeling is mutual, Yuffie Kisaragi. You have taken three words and put all the weight of the world on them…surely by now you've established that I do indeed feel the same."
"You don't know what it feels like, hearing it from you." She shrugged with a forced pout.
He captured her chin in his good hand, committing her face to memory, memorizing the way the her eyes glittered like molten silver, the way her mouth opened in anticipation. "I love you." He whispered so softly she was sure she'd imagined it. She smiled at him, a blush staining her cheeks as she turned and made her way to the bathroom.
They showered quickly, finding it surprisingly helpful to shower together. He'd wash her back, she'd wash his hair. She caught herself staring a few times, blushing when he noticed.
Yuffie came down the stairs first and made her way to Shera wrapping the woman in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you finally came to visit!" She announced excitedly. "I have so much to tell you…" She whispered conspiratorially causing Shera to laugh. Yuffie turned then and gave Cid a hug, stealing his cigarettes in the process.
"Give them back." Tifa smirked at Yuffie, earning a chuckle and a roguish grin from the ninja.
"What? I haven't the foggiest idea as to what you are referring to, Teef?" Yuffie put up a fairly decent innocent façade and if Tifa hadn't known Yuffie she would have bought it.
"He's liable to kill someone if he doesn't get his hourly dose of nicotine. I'd like this to be a happy reunion, not a reenactment of Friday the 13th…now give 'em back." Yuffie huffed muttering something about Tifa being no fun and tossed the pack at Shera.
"Damnit Yuffie!" Cid began to pat himself down for anything else that might have been missing.
"Relax, grandpa, you don't have anything worthwhile to boost…" Yuffie called over her shoulder as she made her way to the living room to get the kids and Nanaki.
"Damn brat…" He grumbled with a smirk, waving the half smoked pack away as Shera tried to hand it to him. She smiled down at him, kissing him gently on the cheek.
"You two are just too adorable…well, Shera is, you're just old." Yuffie said with a laugh as she accepted a cup of coffee from Tifa. Tifa swatted her playfully, placing cups of hot chocolate and a bowl of warm milk out for the kids and Nanaki.
"You truly are a brat." Tifa ushered her out of the kitchen.
Yuffie took her coffee and made her way outside to the pen where the chocobo's were kept. They let out several delighted warks as she neared each stall, pouring a measure of grain for each of them, making sure to rub each one and say 'good morning'.
"You certainly do have a way with them." She turned to see Elena standing in the doorway, dressed in her usual suit and sunglasses.
"Is it mandatory for you guys to dress like that? You look silly…" Yuffie gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. It couldn't be good news if they sent Elena.
"I always thought Vincent had more restraint than that." When Yuffie didn't react, she continued with a heavy sigh. "Look, we can't hold Reno forever." Elena tentatively put her hand on one of the yellow birds foreheads, earning what sounded like a happy whistle.
"Well he had a rough week…Reno isn't my problem anymore, Elena." She shrugged, rubbing a particularly large black chocobo's neck while he ate.
"That's why I'm here." Elena took the sunglasses off and tucked them neatly into a pocket. "I'm not here to give you some sort of guilt trip, I was sent to make sure that whatever the problem was, it is resolved now. I know he's a far cry from a 'good man' but we all have a job to do and the sooner you two get over this the sooner we can get back to it." She finished with a huff. "I just don't want there to be a problem later, ok?" Yuffie nodded quietly. Elena left without another word, leaving Yuffie to her birds.
She made her way in thirty minutes later. Vincent sat in his favorite spot in the corner of the living room reading again. She smiled his way, to which he gently inclined his head in acknowledgement. She rounded the corner to the kitchen and dinning, she could make out Tifa's voice, and she sounded less than pleased. As she neared the kitchen she saw why.
"Look, Reeve…she can't work with him yet. I know this is serious, but that doesn't mean we have to go traipsing around with the Turk's. Send two separate teams." Tifa argued with a hand on her hip, it was her trademark 'I'm not taking no for an answer' move.
"I realize that, Tifa. I do. However, this requires immediate attention. You are all needed for this to go smoothly." He rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation.
"What's going on?" Yuffie asked, her eyes bright and curious.
"There's been a leak in the Mako Reactor 7 on Mt. Nibel. I guess the leak contaminated some of the local wildlife, namely a massive behemoth that attacked Nibelheim the other night and was last reported seen heading to Rocket Town." Reeve spoke solemnly.
"So let's go kick it's ass back to the life stream…" Yuffie answered with her usual flair. "Wait, isn't that reactor closed or blown up or something?"
"They rebuilt it two years ago." Tifa answered offhandedly.
"Oh, well whatever. Let's go." Yuffie shrugged, indifferent to the argument Reeve and Tifa were having. "What?!" She stared them both down, hands on her hips.
"The Turk's are going with us." Tifa answered.
"Oh…so Reno would…be…ah, I get ya." Yuffie couldn't help but chuckle. "That explains Elena."
"Huh? How does that explain Elena?" Tifa eyed Reeve suspiciously.
"She came to make sure whatever happened is over now and that 'we have a job to do and the sooner you two blah blah blah…' I should admit I wasn't really listening." Yuffie smirked. "So he'll be there, I'm a big girl and he knows well enough not to mess with me anymore."
"So you're ok with this?" Reeve asked, adjusting his glasses and giving Tifa a winning smirk.
"Do I have a choice? I mean, if I don't like it you'll just leave me here alone." She replied.
"Ok then, we'll be ready to leave tomorrow." Tifa sighed with a shake of her head. "C'mon Yu, we've got work to do." She tugged Yuffie back toward the living room where Vincent sat quietly, his enhanced hearing making it easy for him to pick up the entire conversation as if he'd been standing right there. "Reeve, I believe you can find the door." Tifa gave him a hard glare.
"I'm sorry, Tifa. It's their job, too." When she didn't answer him he let out a frustrated huff and turned to leave.
In the living room Vincent and Tifa stared Yuffie down. "You're sure this is ok with you?"
"Yeah, why not? He's not going to mess with me again after this last time." She glanced at Vincent. "And he certainly wouldn't do anything while on duty or whatever, not with everyone else watching him."
"Then we will assist Reeve." Vincent answered for Tifa.
"Ok, I guess we will. Cid and Shera have already started preparations on the airship, Barrett is taking Marlene and Denzel to Elmyra's. We could leave within the hour." Tifa cast one last wayward glance at Yuffie before running upstairs to get their reserve of materia.
"You're certain this is alright with you?" Vincent asked softly.
"Yeah…yeah, I'll be ok. Besides, we have to save Rocket Town from certain doom. No time to worry about petty personal crap now, huh?" She winked with a smile. Vincent nodded, his lips turning up into a barely there smile.
"Hey! Y'all fuckin' ready to go or what?!" Cid shouted from the door, the dull roar of the airship sending an excited chill through Yuffie.
"Let's go!" She shouted up the stairs to Tifa, who tossed a large metal case down at Yuffie. She caught it with ease, thankful it was full of materia and not armor or bricks, which would have most certainly crushed her.
"Ready when you are captain." Tifa grinned, following Yuffie and Vincent up the ramp toward Barrett, Nanaki and Cait Sith, and Reeve. The roar of Fenrir caught her attention as Cloud angled the black motorcycle into the cargo hold along with several chocobo's being led by Shera. "The kids are ok?"
"Yep, Myra's glad to have them." Barrett smiled at Tifa.
"Everyone is on board." Nanaki announced quietly as Cloud and Shera made their way to the upper deck.
"Then let's get the hell outta here!" Cid shouted around his cigarette. The crew jumped into action instantly as the airship lifted off and sped toward Rocket Town. Cloud sat next to Yuffie and Tifa while Vincent spoke to Reeve. Nanaki and Cait Sith sat together at Yuffie's feet, resting for the time being. Yuffie was watching the ground fly by when she caught site of the first helicopter.
"I see Elena and Tseng!" She shouted as she waved to the blond Turk. The Second helicopter came up to the other side of the airship.
"There's Reno and Rude." Cloud noted quietly.
"And there's our baddie." Yuffie pointed down to the massive malformed beast. It looked like something out of a zombie movie Yuffie had seen. His skin was pale and mottled. One eye bulged, reminding her of a dead guppy, and it looked like it was currently trying to tear through it's own head.
"The mako is killing it." Reeve spoke softly.
"Looks painful…poor animal." Yuffie sighed, feeling a small amount of sympathy for the massive creature. "Well, lets get down there and put it out of its misery."
Cid began his decent, the two helicopters coming in right behind him. Tifa felt her stomach churn, feeling horribly uneasy. With a sigh she followed everyone to the hold, preparing to land. "Something's not right…" She whispered to herself. Vincent following close behind.
A/N: Ok, another chapter, there will be one more and then I think I can officially call this fic 'complete'. Sorry it took so long, and that this chapter is so completely random toward the end. I've been stuck for so long I forgot what had me stuck. Hope everyone enjoys this!! Any criticism is helpful :D
