AN: Thank you for your reviews on my last chapter, I am so sorry for the huge delay. I hope to get this finished fairly soon – I've planned out the remaining chapters (Four after this one) and hope to write them soon. Thank you if you're still reading.
Warnings: Minor mentions of past abuse and violence.
Summary of the story so far: After a nightmare, Hojo remembers his life with Vincent, but has forgotten his own role in the other's destruction As he learns what he has done, he comes to realize he isn't safe to remain with Vincent.

"Vincent… you have to leave. You can't stay here, not with me, not now..." He shivered. "I…I'm a monster." He whimpered, resting his head on Vincent's chest. "I love you, but you can't stay here."

Vincent's eyes widened, and he gazed at his companion, nestled up against him as he used to be. He was thinner now, physically stronger, but looking weaker. He knew Hojo was the one to do this, but he couldn't process that the frightened man in front of him was the sadist that had shattered him.
"What are you going to do Hojo? If I leave, what will you do?"

For a few seconds, silence fell. Vincent thought he knew the answer, but didn't dare to voice it. Hojo couldn't live like this, the other him might come back, but he couldn't leave the other alone to die. He owed him that. Hojo looked up at him, speaking calmly, as though he were in control.

"I'll go back to the labs, and I'll find a solution. I will fix you. You should have your life back, I'll find a way of giving it to you."
"It's too dangerous." Vincent said simply, eyes flashing yellow. He wasn't going to go back to the labs with the scientist, not having escaped, and it would expose Hojo to all the negative memories that were there. It could destroy him. Part of him was relieved Hojo wasn't about to give up and die, but the rest of him was frightened of what might happen. There was an evil that could be triggered by the laboratory itself for all Vincent knew, and he had suffered enough at its hands.

Hojo took Vincent's ruined hand between both of his.
"You can't stay with me Vincent, I'm a danger, we both know that. But I want to cure you."
"Then we'll go to a different lab." Vincent offered, hoping that would be enough to keep Hojo sane. He wasn't sure it would work, but he had to try something.
"I can't work without my notes." Hojo admitted. "The…. The other me, the monster, knows what happened to you. I need to find out what he knows, and for that I need my notes."

Vincent flinched. He'd hoped to keep those files away from Hojo. He was sure that the man did not need to know the true extent of the cruelty that had occurred, understand the details.
"I can tell you some of it."
"No!" Hojo shouted, passion in his voice, but tempered by the simple conviction of his younger self. "I must have my notes if I am to work." Seeing Vincent opening his mouth, he lowered his gaze and continued. "Anyway, I can't assure you of your safety if you remain with me."

"I can defend myself against you." Vincent countered.
"I doubt that Vincent. I think you love me too much for that, even now. Emotion always was one of your faults, one I am grateful for. Even so, I am not the only one looking for you. ShinRa was never keen on letting its experiments escape. They tend to hunt them down and eliminate them. And an escaped experiment with a doctor would be at higher risk." He hesitated, then gazed back into Vincent's eyes. "Anyway, I slow you down. You'd be safer away from me."

Vincent didn't even think about Hojo's arguments.
"You are going to heal me. We don't need to worry, I can defend myself and you from ShinRa's troops, should they bother chasing. I shall get your notes, and we will work together to fix this."

Hojo nodded, bowing his head, realizing that the other had won the argument through sheer pig-headedness. Vincent was emotional, and stubborn, and having decided that he was doing something nothing would change his mind.
"Thank you." He whispered, reminded of the Turk his love had been, before he had stripped that from him. He still felt sick when he thought about it, and so tried to ignore what had happened. It was the only way that he could keep his mind intact.

Vincent managed a weak smile, inclining his head and leading the other a short distance, until he found a hollowed out tree trunk which would provide suitable shelter for the other, at least for a short while. It was unlikely to be checked, and was out of sight. More than that, it was dry and protected from the wind, so he knew Hojo would be comfortable enough for a few hours.
"You stay right here. I'll be back with the files, don't worry. I won't abandon you."

Hojo gazed at him with deep brown eyes.
"I know you won't."

Vincent turned, extending his wings and hearing a gasp from Hojo, who had previously been unaware of this particular modification. He soared into the air, the movements natural to him from Chaos's presence. He soared high above the polluted earth, with a freedom he had never dreamed of. Once he landed near the manor, he approached it, heading down the hidden passageway to the laboratory. At any moment he expected to be stopped, but he found the area empty. As he moved through room after room, gathering the files which had a double V on, those that looked relevant, he realized why. The laboratory had not been designed to stop anyone from coming in. It was meant to stop them leaving.

The instant that clicked in his mind he heard alarms begin to blare. He held tightly to the files he had gathered, first running and then flying towards the door. It was closing, and he threw through the files, before turning into red mist, squeezing through the remaining gap and into the room beyond. He gathered his files and continued running, up the stairs, through the library, out of the door and away from the mansion. His heart was hammering, but the files were still clasped to his chest.

He stretched his wings, soaring back up into the air, initially heading away from the direction in which he had hidden Hojo before dropping below the line of the trees and turning, making his way back to the hollow tree.

As he approached, something didn't feel right. He dropped the files to the ground, calling out in a hissed whisper.
"Hojo?" At no response, he repeated it louder, approaching the wooden log. His knees bent and he crouched to look inside, only to find it empty, aside from a lab coat. Hojo had gone.

He spun, gazing at the forest, looking for any sign of the man.