Descent

I opened my eyes seeing myself moving but I couldn't feel myself walking. I looked up to see Vincent carrying me in his arms. He looked down at me so I looked away. He put me down against a wall and I sat against it, Vincent crouching down beside me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently. I kept looking away from him. I remembered Omen saying 'just kiss him and gauge his reaction from that'... I did and I still don't know. I don't want to know.

"I'm fine, just go fight Deepground," I tried to act distant but it hurt me a lot inside. I could feel strain on my heart as I spoke. Vincent touched my cheek gently which turned my face bright red.

"I won't leave you behind," He told me calmly. "We're close to the Shinra building, can you walk?" I still felt really numb, but not as numb as before. My right eye was stinging from the punch Rosso gave me.

"Don't think so..." I shook my head. I still felt tired though. "Vincent... I'm scared..." Vincent nodded at me.

"So am I," He admitted. "I'll make sure it's okay though." I nodded slowly, looking at the ground again.

"... I really do just get in the way, don't I?" I asked sadly. I felt so upset after reliving Oblivion's death. Vincent sighed in response.

"Oblivion didn't die because of you," He told me. "He always told me that you were like his daughter. That he would do anything to ensure you were safe," It didn't make me feel any better that he was dead and Vincent knew that, so he put his hand on my cheek again. "It's not your fault." Why don't you tell yourself that Vincent?

"Vincent..." I looked at him, into his red eyes. He was being so honest. He genuinely believed it wasn't my fault. It made me believe that was true. I just... I wanted to tell him... I wanted to say that I love him. He was so close to me. I wanted to kiss him and for him to accept it.

Unfortuneately exhaustion was taking its toll. I leaned against Vincent as I passed out once more into a dreamless sleep.

I woke again to find Vincent carrying me through a dark corridor. He looked down at me and I swear I could see a small smile on his face. I smiled back unsurely.

"You seem to be getting more sleep," He said, I laughed weakly at the comment.

"I'm not getting nightmares... for now," Vincent's phone started to ring and he put me down. "Vincent, where are we?" I was surprised that I was speaking less tiredly and more fluently. The drugs must have been wearing off.

"Heading down to Sector 0," He answered before flipping open his phone. I could make out a voice but I didn't know what was being said. "Tifa?" Tifa got through? Why weren't they contacting me? "How many are there?" There was more talking with various voices before Vincent nodded and sat down beside me, pressing the speaker option on his phone.

"Are you alright Vincent?" Tifa asked over the phone before another voice came in.

"Do you have Angie with you? If she's not there I swear you're in deep shit Vincent," Christie said in both anger and worry, something I believed only she was capable of.

"I'm here Christie... it's alright I'm fine," I said calmly.

"Woohoo she's alright!" Omen exclaimed. "Ehh we got a bit of a problem though. Hey Cloud you haven't said much. It was your idea to try get a hold of them anyway."

"Vincent, Angie," Cloud said. It had been a while she either of us had contacted him. Something I felt guilty for. "We don't have much time, we're going to try another assault to the Reactors on foot." Did they fail the first one?

"What about Cid's Airship?" Vincent asked.

"We lost contact fifteen minutes ago," Cloud replied. "But I'm sure they'll be fine. You know how resilient those three are."

"Well... I did get a tect from Nevi," Christie piped in. "All it said was 'Mr. Sol. He telt me his name I jist forgot it' she must mean that fortune teller she talks about... other than that no contact." Nevina only you would remember something like that in a dire situation.

"Listen we're gonna head out for the assault, will you two be okay?" Cloud asked.

"We'll be fine, leave Deepground to us," Vincent answered.

"And you better take care of Angie otherwise you'll have more to worry about then Deepground," Christie warned seriously.

"I promise," He nodded.

"Wow we went through this whole conversation without once mentioning-" Omen's voice was cut off by muffling and a growl.

"We'll see you guys later," Tifa said quickly.

"Don't get yourselves killed now," Cloud added.

"Yeah take care now hang up before Omen says something!" Christie yelled before they hung up. Vincent put his phone away and I weakly stood up.

"You don't want me to carry you?" He asked. I shook my head, standing up but wobbling a bit.

"I'm fine, I can walk," I stumbled a little, not being able to completely feel my body. Vincent held me stead, helping me walk.

It took us a while to reach the main elevator that would take us down to Sector 0, but we weren't alone. Waiting for us was Azul, his cannon resting beside him, with a grin on his face.

"So... Rosso didn't survive," He remarked with no remorse. Vincent shook a little and I stared at him, scared that Chaos would take control again. "It looks like something inside you wants out," He gave a loud laugh and picked up his cannon. "Now you both will feel the might of Azul the Cerulean. Let the killing begin!" He fired the cannon and Vincent shoved to the side. In an instant he was firing bullets into Azul that did little harm. I took out my sword and concentrated. They all thought I was a weak nuisance.

I wasn't. I'll show them I'm a force to be reckoned with.

As Azul was distracted I threw my sword into his back and ran onto it, pulling out my sword and impaling him again, trying to get through the muscle. He tried to grab me but I took my sword out and pushed away from him, blasting fire into his face.

"So Angevale, you've actually became useful?" He remarked. Vincent fired into his back and Azul turned around. I took Oblivion's Scythe and hacked Azul's leg. I ran around him and Vincent continued firing at Azul when he got the chance. He actually seemed frustrated that he couldn't hit either of us.

He fired his cannon one last time before Vincent shot his wrist and I sent a fireball at the same time. Azul dropped the cannon and laughed at us.

"I must say, I'm impressed with both of you," He laughed. "However you have yet to see my true power!" He was covered in a bright light and he transformed into a behemoth. The one that attacked WRO.

Vincent fired his gun but it didn't harm Azul's tough hide. As he was reloading Azul charged at him and threw him to the side. I tried to pierce through it with Oblivion's Scythe but it did little to nothing. I guess only Death can harness it's true power.

Azul tackled me and I slid across the elevator platform. The behemoth roared and charged to me so I threw flames in his face and ran for it, seeing Vincent getting up but being attacked again. I jumped up and stabbed Azul in the back with my sword. Sadly he was strong and threw me off before I could pierce his skin.

He then ran towards Vincent again and trashed him around the area. I ran to Vincent as he slammed against the side of the elevator, near unconscious.

"Vincent, look at me," I panicked as Azul hovered over us, growling like a beast.

"Stand," He ordered to us, losing patience. "Stand! This isn't over yet!" Vincent got to his feet and I helped him, but he pushed me away and shook his head, as though he didn't want me to fight. "Good Vincent, now fight!" Vincent ran towards him and I shielded my eyes from a bright light.

When looked at them Azul was human again and Vincent... holding Azul's cannon... but he was Chaos...

With a roar Chaos threw the cannon into Azul's chest, making the man bleed profusely.

"It seems that you as more of a beast than I," Azul laughed, stumbling backwards. "Very well, we will meet again Vincent, in Hell!" In anger Chaos threw a blast of energy at Azul, sending him off the edge. Like Rosso, he just laughed as he plummeted to his death. "Hail Weiss!"

I ran to Chaos as he roared, flailing as though he was attacking something. I gripped his wrists as he struggled against me, roaring and trying to throw me off.

"Vincent look at me!" I yelled at Chaos, making the best stop. I became calmer and loosened my grip a little. "Look at me... calm down... it's alright... it's okay..." Chaos seemed to listen. His eyes rolled back and he fell down onto his back, semi-unconscious. He glowed and turned back into Vincent and carefully I crouched down, but then stood up as I heard a clink on the ground.

It was a phone. I picked it up and looked at it. Didn't Shelke have a phone like this on the Shera? Did that mean Deepground had her too?

Putting the phone away I went back to Vincent, kneeling down beside him. He opened his eyes, staring into the blackness above. I noticed his eyes were watering a little. Did he? Did he know? Was he remembering?

"Chaos... Lucrecia used me to..." He choked a little, looking at me for a split second then looking back into the emptiness. "She... used me as..." As an experiment... I know. It pains me so much Vincent.

I put my hand on his cheek and tilted his face to me. He stared at me, trying to hold back tears. I leaned down and hugged him, surprised that he hugged back as he held back sobs of pain. It hurt so much to see him like this. He was vulnerable and I think that scared him a little.

"Why would she...?" He asked eventually.

"I don't know..." I replied honestly, hugging him tighter. I honestly didn't know. I just held Vincent until he felt ready to let go.