A/N: Well since the last one was kind of a downer and it left a few unanswered questions I thought I should have some fluff…and more questions. Don't worry, the next chapter is hopefully going to be longer than this… :)

xOh…I don't own anyone in this story…except for Lou. Blah blah blah…x

"Do you ever get sick of wearing black?" Yuffie queried, eyeing Vincent from her side of the bed. She and the others had finished 'clean up' and were all resting in their quarters. Godo was with Cid at the helm, keeping the pilot company since the other crewmen had been sent to their own rooms. Cloud and Tifa were in their room and so on, ending with Vincent and Yuffie in her room, on her bed talking about anything that had nothing to do with now.

"I never really thought about it. Why, does it bother you?" He had been drinking warm milk with Yuffie, who now held the empty mug loosely in one hand.

"Nah, actually it looks… cool on you. Like a super mysterious…mystery man!" She grinned from ear to ear, thrusting her fist in the air. He gave her a look to which she giggled. "Yeah, it sounded better in my head."

"Do you really go around saving cats?" He arched an eyebrow at her. Her face fell as did the cup she'd been leaning over to sit down.

"…Only in Wutai." Vincent carefully brought his good hand up to take a hold of her elbow. "Do cats go to heaven?" She asked, smiling wistfully.

He smiled softly at the question before answering. "I think so…"

She let a small smile play at the corners of her mouth. Slowly she situated herself between his long legs to rest against his chest. He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. She sighed softly into his shirt, the leather having been discarded not long after they had cleaned up the remains of the Lou clone.

That had been hard for Yuffie; she had become very fond of Lou in their years of knowing one another. She had thought of him as a big brother, someone to protect her from the reality truly being an heir of Wutai. He loved her more than he had ever been able to express in words to her. She knew though, and was grateful that he never pushed the marriage. She told him early on, before Cloud and Aeris 'discovered' her, that she had no intention of marrying him, that it wasn't in her nature. He understood her and in his own way accepted that. Yuffie was head strong and independent. She didn't want to be tied down or held back. She saw marriage as a binding ceremony that would only lead to suffering…that is until she met Vincent.

Glancing up at him through thick eyelashes, she smiled despite everything else. After leaving the second time, and with Lou's help, she found him. She stuck by him after that. She joined the WRO and worked for Reeve, she'd even been so nice as to give Cloud all the materia that had been discovered through their travels. Yuffie had changed from a thieving ninja kid and become an introspective woman haunted by her own future. She'd still maintain she was a ninja and would pull pranks on everyone now and again, but she was changed somehow. Tifa used to say it was her innocence lost. Once Aeris had passed away, and then Shelke had been introduced to the group…or rather Shelke and Lucrecia, that had gotten to Yuffie. Vincent had only opened up to her until then. When Shelke came along she was just like him, she knew him in ways Yuffie could only dream of. Worse yet, Vincent began to share his time with her, leaving Yuffie to feel like an outsider. The ten year old girl held the soul of his long lost love and it was understandable to some degree that he'd want to spend all the time he could with her, talking about his future and her past. So, after a little while Yuffie decided to take a chance and tell him how she felt. And…

Yuffie glanced away from Vincent suddenly, her breath hitched as she tried to calm her emotions. Tears burned her eyes and she hurriedly brushed them away as she carefully pulled away from the warm arms of the man beneath her. Vincent appeared to notice and made a motion to keep her in place. Yuffie gasped and froze.

"What is it, Yuffie?" he spoke with that deep calm voice. The one that melted all her worries away, that made her giddy with excitement when she heard it reverberating through him while he held her. At her lack of response he repeated the question, this time greeted with a quiet sob.

"You're going to leave me again…" Yuffie whimpered, somewhat pathetically. Vincent was taken aback by this. He thought she understood how he felt, after everything that had transpired. Completely confused, he cocked his head to one side and watched her intently with bright red eyes. She fought the urge to smile.

"Yuffie…I do not take what we have shared lightly." He pulled her gently back toward him. "I will not leave you unless you wish me to." She whimpered again in response. Lifting her silver eyes to his, she sighed before she spoke again.

"I told you I loved you…" She said softly, pulling herself further away, "I'm afraid you'll push me away again…You'll give me some excuse that this isn't right." Vincent continued to stare, completely unsure of where this was coming from or going, deciding to stay quiet, as that seemed to require less talking...or potentially yelling on her part, and he was genuinely confused. "I had come back for you, and I fought off that woman for you. I was so afraid you'd actually been hurt...Then after everything you still pushed me away and you acted like nothing had ever happened when we were at the Golden Saucer. What the hell happened up on that roof?! Who is that thing after me? Why does it look like you, why did he kill Lou or send that storm demon after us? Why did Lou…" she bit back another heavy sob. "I wish he had never met me! I want him back! It's all my fault, he didn't deserve to die like that…" She was crying now. Slightly shocked, Vincent wrapped his arms around the little ninja.

"I would never leave you, Yuffie." Vincent thought carefully about what to say, wanting to comfort the young woman. "Truly I'm sorry for Ryuugu…and that was not your fault." he stopped for a moment, something registering in his mind as he replayed her little tirade in his head. "I will protect you. From all of them, we will keep you safe." Yuffie's head shot up, eyes wide with hope. "Always…no one will ever harm you so long as we are here to save you." A slow smile worked its way across her lips. He meant he and Chaos would... "I will avenge him…and your country." Yuffie brought a small hand to his cheek, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Vincent…" his human hand slowly lifted to the one against his cheek. His eyes carried a certain heaviness, completely unlike the regret and sadness he carried with him for all those years. Yuffie couldn't help but smile as he continued.

"I will be here, by your side always." Vincent whispered as he slowly leaned toward her. He kissed her temple and down to her ear. "You are mine now and no one will take that from me…" She shivered involuntarily, heat rising to her cheeks. He continued to kiss and nip his way down her neck to her shoulders.

With nimble fingers, she began to work the buckles of his pants once more. His claw moved down to her silky nightgown, stopping at the hem and carefully working its way up underneath the fabric. The cool metal of his hand coming in contact with her skin sent another chill down her spine. She gasped as his human hand began to work the straps on her shoulders off. His lips were burning their way down to her chest as he maneuvered her to sit on his lap.

His claw held her thigh firmly, his thumb dangerously close to her sensitive core. His other hand began dragging the gown down, slowly uncovering new skin for him to taste.

"…Gods Vincent. Why do you torment me so?" She whispered breathless. His claw flexed, tightening its hold as he slowly drew his thumb across her over the thin garment acting as a flimsy barrier between the two. A pleasurable gasp escaped her while his lip simultaneously closed over a now exposed nipple.

"Are you asking me to stop…?" He caressed her once again with his thumb; she shuddered as she dug her nails into his shoulders, a low moan slipping passed her lips.

She looked down at him from her position. She was sitting astride him, the black nightgown doing very little to hide anything at all now. His eyes bore into her, filled with desire and mirth…almost completely devoid of sorrow. She slowly brought her head down to his, their lips a breath apart.

"…no." She crushed her lips against his, giving herself to him completely.

Later, as they lay still wrapped in the others embrace, Yuffie stole a glance at Vincent. He was sound asleep. She smiled warmly at him, burrowing a little deeper into his arms which tightened at the slightest movement from her. 'I love you...' she sighed, unable to say the three words aloud, satisfied in at least being able to recognize the emotion. 'One day...when all this is over, then I can tell him.' She let her eyes slowly close as she gave into sleep.

Ok…so it was sort of sad…but not really. I'm stuck again, I can't decide which way I want to go. Any ideas? Sorry this chapter is so short :)