Nibelheim had grown significantly in three years. A small shopping center sat on the edge of town. It consisted of a doctor, grocery, and item/weapon shops. More houses and even an apartment building had been erected. Paved roads had been started so people could walk around from place to place without being bogged down by dust or mud. Most of the residents were displaced multitudes left over after the whole Meteorfall incident.

Yet for all its expansion, Shinra Manor was just as it had always been. None of the newer buildings came close to the grounds. Rumors about the place abounded and none dared to test if they were true or not. The gate in front of the mansion hung from old rusted hinges. Trees appeared sickly as dead branches hung low almost sweeping the dry land. Grass grew, but only in scattered brown patches as if the planet itself was warning them this was cursed grounds.

Vincent woke up early enough to experience all this. He slept on the floor, next to Yuffie's head all night as she clasped his claw in her hand. Just as the sun was coming over the horizon, he managed to extricate his hand from her grip before she noticed he was even there. He was just entering the room after checking out the still sleeping town as she began the first signs of waking.

Arms were spread over her head as legs seemed to magically grow longer before all coming back together. Her dark hair was thrown back and forth as Yuffie shook the sleep from her fogged mind. Battle worn hands rose to rub closed eyes before said eyes opened and stared directly at him. "How long you been there?" She asked quickly almost as if in panic.

Vincent made a mental note to make sure he always made his presence known. The way Yuffie stared at him told him more information about what she may have experienced. He wondered if the twin clones stood by her as she slept or perhaps taunted her as she tried. "I just walked in," He said to assure her. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

A broad smile broke on Yuffie's face as she threw back her covers and leaped from the bed. "Let's go! I'm starved!"

With one gloved finger, Vincent pointed to her attire. Yuffie blushed before snagging a clean set of clothing and rushing off into the bathroom to change.

After breakfast, Vincent and Yuffie headed up the deserted path that led to the abandoned dwelling. The hole Rosso had made two years prior was still there. Red eyes shifted to see how his companion would react to the impression. She acted uninterested and simply side stepped the formation.

He put this action in the back of his mind for later. Perhaps she did not know of its origins, or if she did didn't seem to care. Keeping a defensive stance, who knew what may still dwell inside, Vincent opened the front door. The wooden barrier creaked on rusty hinges as it swung open. Nothing jumped out at them, so he carefully stepped inside. There was no electricity yet, but his eyes were already used to the darkened corridors.

Yuffie followed close enough to him that he could feel her body heat and just make out the faintest sounds of her heart beating in her chest. Not that he blamed her for being nervous, truth was so was he.

Rats scurried back into hiding as two sets of feet stirred dust from the hard flooring. A pile of what seemed to be scrap metal lingered in the middle of the foyer. It was riddled with holes as if it had been run through several times with a thin pole. Vincent approached it half expecting the machine to jump back to life and begin shooting at him once more. With a quick glare at the destroyed weapon, Vincent turned to find Yuffie kneeling over a faded crimson smudge.

She was staring at the stain with deep contemplation. Her head cocked to one side as lashes flickered quickly. "Rosso," she whispered before continuing, "This is where she... where she." Her voice began to break along with her mind. "Vincent was dead. I saw it. Vincent writhing on the ground. Blood poured out of his chest where Rosso had just ripped a huge hole! Dead, dying!" Her legs gave out from under her, and Yuffie dropped to the floor not even mindful of the dust that now coated her legs.

Red caped flared behind him as Vincent rushed to get in front of her so she could see his face. His hands reached out and grasped hold of her shoulders before shaking his friend to snap her out of it. "Yuffie! Listen to me. Yuffie! Look at me!" He finally screamed.

Violet eyes blinked once, twice, three times before clearing. She focused on his pale face. Vincent's gaze was intense, his features full of fear. He released her as one hand rose to touch her temple. "Not dead." She whispered. "No, he's not. Can't you see him?"

The gunman grew anxious. She was speaking to the voices that resided in her mind. His demons grew restless, but it was more from his heightened state than a reaction to the ninja. He had to grit his teeth together tightly to remain in control. When he was sure he could speak again without allowing them to be released, Vincent stood. He held a gloved hand out to help Yuffie do the same. "Why don't we begin in the bedrooms?" He suggested before glancing up the stairs.

With a simple nod, Yuffie agreed. A grin broke out next as it seemed like the incident was forgotten for now. She bounded ahead of him and skipped up the stairs. "You coming, Vinnie?" She shouted from somewhere down the halls.

With a deep sigh, Vincent slowly followed. The way she just acted was not normal. Than again, what did he know of normal? Vincent Valentine was a freak of nature. His body housed three demons, not to mention his ability for quick healing. On top of that he was essentially going to remain twenty-seven for the rest of his life. However long that was.

But Yuffie should be a normal twenty year old woman. Her psyche was broken, and at the core of it, Sephiroth was to blame. He was the one that created clones of himself that kidnapped and tortured the princess. They played games with her sanity, games that made her split her mind into parts. Parts that talked to her.

For the next three hours the duo spent time slashing, shooting, impaling, and for the most part eradicating monsters from the top floor of Shinra Manor. They moved as one entity having worked together several times in the past. Reeve had sent them on a few missions together over the years. They spoke more with body language than words.

They had cleared all but one room of the top floor. Vincent was hesitant to even approach that particular room. He knew what lay beyond the concealed wall, and was suspicious of it. He had to steer Yuffie away several times as she would get too close. She whined at first before he offered her food. That made her change her attitude quickly.

They made their way back to the hotel room where they cleaned up and went out in search of food. The grocery included a small cafe area and they sat and planned out what they wanted to do next.

"Vinnie?" Yuffie began after swallowing the bite of food in her mouth. He gave a short hum to let her knew he was listening. "Do you think I'll ever be okay? I mean, I feel fine and all, but I used to listen to Tifa and Cloud talking when they thought I was asleep. They think I'm so sick I may never get better."

The gunman froze. He took an unusually long time to chew as he thought deeply on an answer that would satisfy her. "Do you think you are sick?"

Yuffie was about to reply, but found herself without a answer. No one had ever asked her what her thoughts were. Reeve had pleaded with her to tell him about it, but he refused to allow her freedom. Tifa would talk to her, but never listened. An odd trait for the barmaid. And Cloud was so silent one wondered what he even thought of the whole situation. Yet Vincent, the man who very rarely said more than three words per sentence, was asking about her thoughts. She must have been demented.

Before she had a chance to reply, Vincent's phone rang. With a passing glance at his companion, he answered using careful words.

"Vincent, it's Reeve. I did a little investigating. But before I tell you about it, how's Yuffie doing?"

Red eyes shifted to the young woman across from him. She appeared to be content with her food, but he could see she was trying hard to listen to the conversation. He pushed away from the table and stood far enough so that he could be seen yet not heard.

"For now, fine. We had an... incident earlier." He could hear Reeve sigh in despair. Before the commissioner had a chance to speak Vincent assured him, "We knew it was to happen at least once."

"You're right. Very well, I'll trust you to handle it. Anyway, the reason for my call.

I had the WRO do a little investigating. As of right now Connect! has been shut down. All the citizenry have been told is that there have been security leaks that need to be taken care of. The media knows nothing about Yuffie's kidnapping."

"And Godo?"

"Have you seen any Wutian soldiers to take her home?" Reeve laughed at his own joke before turning serious, "I talked to him, explained what you were trying. He's trusting you to know what you're doing."

Vincent glanced back to his self appointed charge. Yuffie was still sitting where he left her finishing the last bits of dinner. She waved at him when she noticed his attention was on her. He gave a weak nod in return.

After Reeve explained a few more small details, mainly giving Vincent updates on the Avalanche crew; the two hung up with plans to meet in person sometime in the future. As Vincent sat back down, Yuffie grinned at him mischief filling her eyes.

"Was that Reevie?" She began in a sing-song tone.

"It was. Are you finished?" He asked before reaching over and cleaning up her trash. He noted that his food was gone as well. With the raise of one dark brow he glanced over at his comrade.

She shrugged, "You weren't eating it, and I was hungry," Yuffie defended herself.

Dark hair moved side to side, but he let it slide. "We will continue at the mansion in the morning. You have had enough for one day. What do you want to do before we turn in?"

A week passed with them going up to the mansion for five to six hours a day. At night Vincent would sleep by Yuffie's head with her grasping tightly to his claw. Were he to wake in the middle of the night due to nightmares and move away, she would thrash until his claw was within her grip once more.

His neck would be sore in the morning, but he dared not say a word to her. He had many sins, and this was merely another way to repent for them. By the end of the week as they came back from monster hunting at the mansion, there was a new face waiting for them in the foyer of the inn.

Yuffie, as tired as she was, brightened as soon as she saw who it was. Arms went flying up as she ran for him screaming his name, "Cloud!"

He grunted as the smaller body was thrown against his own, "Nice to see you too. Vincent."

"Cloud." The gunman returned in greeting. "What are you doing here?"

Yuffie pulled away from the blond and was now standing beside him swinging his arm back and forth with a huge smile on her face. "Who cares why he's here? Just be happy about it!"

Red eyes shifted between the two before he opened his lips and spoke, "Yip-pee." Vincent replied flatly.

This earned an excited squeal from the ninja. "Wha! You just made a joke! Cloud, did you hear that? Vinnie made a joke." She released Cloud's arm and ran to the gunman. "It wasn't a very good one, but I think I just might love you a little more for it!"

Cloud, who had been trying to wipe away the dust and monster entrails from his coat paused to stare at his friend.

"She loves everyone," Vincent gave in explanation before moving off and heading up the stairs for their room. Behind him he could hear two sets of feet following. Yuffie was talking a mile a minute as she asked him all about where he had been, how long he was staying, and where Cloud was headed next.

Vincent could taste a sourness in the back of his throat. He frowned behind his collar as he suppressed the feeling. Cloud was his friend, not to mention he had a beautiful barmaid waiting for him at home. So why was he feeling this pit of jealousy all of a sudden?

He dared not contemplate an answer. What he might find scared him. There had been room for only one woman in his life, and yet... Before his friends even made it into the rented room Vincent Valentine was already stripped and in the shower.

Yuffie managed to convince Cloud to stay for a few days and help them as they cleaned out the mansion. Not that it took much convincing as he had planned that all along. He had already rented a room for himself, yet stayed long enough for Yuffie to fall asleep so that he might have a chance to speak with the gunman without her overhearing.

"I know it's late in hearing this, but I'm here on Reeve's request." He confessed.

"I figured." Without a second thought, Vincent took his normal place on the floor between the two beds. He lay his claw near Yuffie's head and waited until she took hold of it before speaking again. "What news do you have?"

Cloud had to force his eyes not to bug out of his head at the action, but supposed that Vincent would explain it in time. Gathering his thoughts, Cloud began. He told Vincent how people were getting upset that they were unable to have access to the pictures and files they had uploaded onto the Connect! servers. There were as many hate mails coming to Reeve as there were those supporting him as the withdraw had somehow been tracked back to his decision.

Some had been happy that the security breach had been found and taken care of, but most just found it unfair for them. Vincent sighed deeply. People would never change even if they had known the truth.

Cloud went on to tell how upset Tifa was, but put on a brave face each morning. Shelke was a wonder of a support for not being one to get along with the ninja very well. Yet the two of them grew closer and closer almost as if finding out they were long lost sisters.

After Nibelhiem, the delivery man had plans to make a trip to Wutai. He wanted to see the duo for himself and Reeve before reporting to the emperor. After he was done, the sight in front of him truly began eating away at his curiosity. Using one gloved finger he pointed, "So, uh. What's up with this?" He indicated to the hand holding.

Very carefully, Vincent pulled his gauntlet away. He kept it nearby, but placed it just out of the ninja's reach. It only took a moment for her to grow restless. A pained moan escaped from pale lips as her hand searched for the object. She whimpered until Vincent gave in and allowed her to hold onto it again.

"That is why." He answered as he used his free hand to reach over and pull the covers back up to her shoulders.

"Wow, that's rough. You know, Vince. You've changed. Five years ago if you would have told me I would be sitting here as you held someone's hand, I would have never believed it. And to be Yuffie's of all people. True she grew on all of us, but she was obnoxious at first."

"I suppose I have changed. Never thought it would happen myself. Must have been your wonderful leadership."

Cloud nearly choked on his saliva. Vincent just made another joke in front of him, but delivered it in such a deadpan fashion that made it that much more comical. Shaking his head, he stood from his seat on the edge of the bed. "I'll see you in the morning. Don't want to risk a heart attack if you try and deliver another gag at me. Good night, Vince."

"Sweet dreams. Don't let the bed bugs bite." Vincent replied. Cloud paused but shook his head as he exited the room, small smile still on his face. Vincent turned his attention to the woman next to him. "Oh, Yuffie. What have you done to me?"