Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters places things, because Square-Enix does. Chapter ten… when I started this story they all said I wouldn't last two chapters. You know where they are now? All dead. Oh wait, that's not true. Chapter ten though.

Cold Decency

Chapter Ten:

Yuffie sat next to her mom on the roof of their pagoda. The war that had been brewing with Shinra was already three years in. There had been many attempts to take the huge city of Wutai city, but due to the mountainous terrain all attempts by Shinra proved useless. The sun was setting with a brilliant orange blanketing the war torn people of Wutai with a false sense of peace.

"Yuffie, something big is going to happen tomorrow," Yuffie's mom said looking into the sky.

A young four year old Yuffie looked up to her mother with confusion. To her surprise her mother started to cry. Yuffie scooted herself as close as she could hand hugged her mom tightly.

"I love you Yuffie," he mom wept wrapping her daughter into her arms. For a long time they stayed just like that.

The next day Shinra forces dropped into Wutai from airships led by the great general Sephiroth. The citizens of Wutai were caught with their pants down.

Now Yuffie sat crying next to her mother's corpse surrounded by growing orange flames. A figure approached the young girl out of the fire. Yuffie looked straight up into none other then Sephiroth's eyes…

"NO!" cried Yuffie as she swung at her antagonist. However instead of connecting with Sephiroth's nose she hit… Vincent? Uh-oh.

Vincent stepped back in surprise as his good hand flew up to stem the flow of blood. A thin stream of crimson blood hit the floor.

"Vincent, I am so sorry!" said Yuffie who was starting to tear up. Not only did she have to have a vivid dream of her mom's death she, but she also clocked the person she had a crush on. Life sucks sometimes she thought as she let out an exasperated sigh.

"It is alright," Vincent said as he slowly moved his nose revealing it to be broken. He walked smoothly back over to Yuffie and sat down on the stool next to her bed. "What were you dreaming about?" Vincent said softly as he reached into a bucket, that was also next to the bed, and produced a wet cloth. Before Yuffie was calm enough to speak he gently pushed her back down into laying position, and stuck the cloth on her forehead.

"I was young again, and I was with my mom," Yuffie struggled for the words while looking at the ceiling trying not to cry, "and it was when she was killed." There she said it and she was crying like a baby again. Mission accomplished Yuffie, cry in front of Vincent. The cool cloth on her head was beginning to make her tired again. Her mind might have been saying to sleep, but her mouth didn't stop. "Sephiroth killed her, he killed her right in front of my eyes!" she continued, but her voice then began to slow, "and the worst part is Sephiroth…"

Vincent looked up into Yuffie's eyes and saw that she had succumbed to sleep. The poor girl was still feverish. It had been a little less than twenty-four hours ago when Vincent and Yuffie had been found. Now they were in the house of some kind old man whose name Vincent never had the chance to learn. The rest of the team was in the living room eating while Vincent kept a careful eye on Yuffie to ensure the quickest and utmost recovery. A drop of blood came from his broken nose as he leaned back in the chair. The desperate powerful punch was very painful, but it didn't matter. In less then a few hours Vincent's modified body would reform the wound, and it would be like he was never punched. A small whimper from Yuffie snapped Vincent back to reality. Apparently she was suffering from another dream. Vincent moved his hand over one of Yuffie's and gently ran his thumb over the top of her hand. Her eyes relaxed slightly, and Vincent let go. It was time to check up on the rest of the team. He was told that it was Cloud who mobilized the team into a search party. Even with that fact Vincent was highly suspicious of Cloud's motives. While the rest of the team basked in the return of the old Cloud Vincent was not so easily swayed.

"We have to get to the top of the mountain by tonight," Cloud said pensively.

"What about the brat?" Barret asked who had adopted Cid's nickname for Yuffie.

Cloud sat in contemplation for a second. What to do about Yuffie? He couldn't miss the reunion, but he had to keep a low profile. Vincent who had now entered the room still kept a sharp eye on him. Perhaps his driving demon could provide a solution; after all it was starting to get impatient.
USE VINCENT AS A TOOL TO BRING YUFFIE ALONG!
The voice was always full of advice.

Cloud looked up at Vincent, "Do you think you can take care of Yuffie's progress up the mountain, and make sure she isn't stressing her sickness?"

Suddenly the attention was shifted completely to Vincent. For awhile he stood stoically. Cloud waited with a patient look on his face as Vincent thought.

"Why do we need to get to the top of mountain by tonight?" Vincent queried without tone.

"Something big is going to happen tonight," said Cloud suddenly serious, "I can feel it in my bones. I need your support on this Vincent, and Yuffie's too."

Again Vincent took a moment to contemplate the situation under the scrutiny of the team. After about ten seconds however Vincent reluctantly replied, "Alright, I will take care of Yuffie on the mountain climb."

"Glad to hear it Vincent," Cloud said with a growing smile.

"Then I think I will take this opportunity to tell Yuffie!" said Tifa excitedly, partially at the fact that Vincent and Cloud were cooperating and now she had excuse to interrogate Yuffie. Better get rid of Vincent and his super hearing first though…

"Hey Vincent can you please get some more firewood?" Tifa asked sweetly, "There is a large stack about a hundred feet from the house, and I think we should bring a little extra for our host's sake no?"

Vincent stood up and left the house without saying a word. He hated being controlled like this. Even though he couldn't actually feel it he felt cold by the recent turn of events.

Tifa crept softly into Yuffie's room closing the door behind her. There was Yuffie whose eyes were closed. If she wasn't still a little sick Tifa mused shaking the hell out of the shinobi for fun. She sauntered over and sat on the stool reaching a hand out towards Yuffie's nose.

"What do you want Tifa?" asked Yuffie eyes still closed.

Tifa's hand shot back in surprise, "Oh gods I didn't know you were awake Yuffie!"

"Uh-huh," Yuffie said dryly as she sat up and opened her eyes. She felt a bit better now, and took a glance around the room for Vincent without avail, just his cape drying on the wall.

"I just wanted to tell you we are all going to climb the mountain by tonight," Tifa began, "and I was going to ask you something else too…"

"You want to know what happened last night don't you," deadpanned Yuffie with a smirk on her face.

"Well ACTAULLY… yes, yes I do," Tifa said, "Tell me, tell me, TELL ME!"

"I don't know Tifa, maybe if you make it worth my while, and trust me it's worth it," Yuffie said, and the smirk was replaced with a large evil smile.

"That is blackmail!" Tifa cried desperately.

"And forcing what do you call forcing that situation on me and Vincent?" Yuffie asked.

"I wouldn't call that blackmail, it is more like… a gentle push in the right direction," Tifa said thoughtfully, "and I will give you my almost mastered Odin, the one we found right before Vincent."

"Now we are talking!" exclaimed Yuffie.

Vincent had just hefted a mighty pile of firewood on to his shoulders and prepared to head back towards the house.

"REALLY!" screamed Tifa from inside the house.

The whole mountain shook with the threat of avalanche. Vincent struggled against the vibrations, but failed as he landed promptly on his ass. All the wood he had been carrying landed on him one by one as he laid cape less in the snow. He knew what Tifa had planned to do, and he hated being right. The snow began to melt into his clothes as he lay in the snow covered in bruises and firewood.

The rest of the day before the mountain climb went rather smoothly for everyone. Yuffie had finally gotten out of bed and joined the others in the living room lively as ever. Smoothly for Vincent meant as soon as he had finished getting the firewood he crept into the now empty bedroom to let his clothes dry, and bruises to disappear. He could hear the conversations, but he was still thankfully alone. With the exception of Vincent the whole team sat around the fire telling stories, and jokes.

A couple of hours before the trek up the mountain Tifa started to cook a mighty dinner for the whole team.

"Yuffie can you get Vincent for dinner?" Tifa asked, "I am going to make him eat this meal whether he likes it or not!"

"No problem!" said Yuffie who happily bounced of to find Vincent. Running into the bedroom Yuffie found that all the lights were turned off. "Uh Vincent?"

"Yes, Yuffie?" Vincent said monotonously from behind her.

Jumping in surprise Yuffie turned around to see to red eyes staring at her. She decided not to call attention to it though and said in a mock command tone, "Even though you probably already heard Tifa wants your presence at the dinner table!"

Vincent who was still shrouded in the dark stood up, and following his eyes Yuffie felt terribly short in comparison. "Oh hey Vincent how is your nose?" Yuffie began, "Actually do you mind if I turn on a light?" She asked the question, but she just turned on the light anyways.

Vincent squinted to the abrupt brightness. Yuffie took a quick look at Vincent's nose, and to her surprise it was perfectly fine.

"I am all better now," said Vincent, "Like I said it's alright."

"Well I am still sorry Vincent," said Yuffie as she looked down at his mouth. She kept thinking about the kiss they shared. Unfortunately for her it looked like Vincent wasn't giving it a second thought. The two stood there for a couple seconds in an uncomfortable silence.

"I suggest we get to the table before Barret and Cid eat everything," said Vincent.

Yuffie just nodded in slight disappointment and they walked to the table together.

The feast was laid out on the table and everyone ate. A delicious rabbit stew was the main course and it stuck nice and warm to Avalanche's ribs. The sides included scalped potatoes, asparagus, and corn hash. Afterwards an hour before the start time everyone just sat and digested in the warmth of comfort and protection. Next to Vincent Yuffie sat awkwardly as if expecting something. Tifa had fallen asleep and began to lean on Cloud. Cloud on the other hand sat rigid, as if anticipating something noted Vincent.

Yuffie decided to make her move and yawned as she laid her head onto Vincent's shoulder. Contact felt so nice she thought. To her delight Vincent subconsciously lifted that arm up to put over her shoulders, and pull her to his side.

Cloud watched Vincent's surprisingly tender act towards the young ninja, happy to see a weakness appear in his opponent's seams.
YES, USE HER TO BE HIS DOWNFALL!

Yuffie's body felt nice against his, but Vincent felt something dark looming overhead.

Sorry, I had this chapter mostly wrapped up on Tuesday, but University of Arizona decided to take away my internet. Apparently I had a spyware thing on my computer. Why do people make spyware and crap? What is the point of messing with people that you don't even know. I had to format my computer, and loose a lot of stuff. ( But hey, I entered the double digits in chapters, yay! Please review if you have the time.