I managed to squeeze in an update...

"Do you have two stomachs?"

Cloud was busy eating yet another meal to replace the lost one. It was a ridiculous to question to ask, or so Tifa thought. She silently prayed to God that he wouldn't answer. She lounged on her side, under the sheets, watching him eat.

"That's the third time you have asked me that question," Cloud answered.

"I don't remember asking you that before," Tifa argued.

Cloud stopped eating and grinned that ever-annoying signature smile. "You still don't recognize me…do you, Tifa?"

"Uh?"

Tifa sat up and pulled the sheets up to cover herself.

"What are you spouting?"

Eating would have to wait till later. Cloud sat up as well and looked into space, as if he were in trance. Tifa leaned closer.

"Cloud?"

"I remember a poor, lost, orphaned, London girl," Cloud replied dreamily. "She was bloody lonely too…"

Her eyes widened.

"She was sitting all by herself on the steps, and it was really cold. I just had to give her my jacket."

Cloud heard a sob and saw that Tifa was starting to cry, her head lowered. He reached over to comfort her, but her head shot up with an angry glare. And once again, Cloud was in for it.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me so in the first place!" she shouted.

"I…"

"I really wanted to see you again after that!" she continued. "You saved my life! I could've freezed to death out there. Or worse, starved!"

Cloud looked away with a sad expression on his face. Tifa calmed down and regretted her harshness.

"You didn't remember until now," Tifa whispered in realization.

"I'm sorry," Cloud replied.

"Don't be. It's not your…"

"You don't know that."

"You didn't forget on purpose."

"You don't know that either."

Tifa opened her mouth shock.

"I may have taken the poison willingly."

"How could you say that? You don't know that either."

Cloud smiled and nodded. Tifa removed the tray from between them and placed it on the floor. She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him.

"Did your memories suggest it?" Tifa asked.

"No…just a feeling…"

Tifa took deep breaths. Her chest brushed up against on his, and his breath hitched.

"When was the first time I asked if you had two stomachs?"

Cloud whispered mischievously in her ear. "Remember Okinawa, Japan?"

This was going to a long night.

---------

And now, back to the past…

After going without a shower for three days, Valentine was able to relax. The hot was nice, therapeutic, and soothing, blotting out some of the worries that she keep hidden in her mind. Val hoped that Cid wouldn't mind having a slightly bigger water bill this month.

"So you escaped all on your own… I am thoroughly impressed!"

The voice startled Val, and she turned off the shower.

"Why are you still talking to me?" Val asked aloud.

"It's not like I can leave," the voice replied. "I am a part of your mind after all."

The voice chuckled malevolently.

"But don't let me stop you…go on…turn the shower back on…it was so relaxing!"

Valentine reluctantly turned the shower back on and continued.

"I wish you'd just leave me the bloody hell alone," Val muttered.

"Oooo!" the voice cooed. "You don't like me? Why don't you like me?"

Val raised her head against the water and let it slide all over her face.

"Because you're downright evil."

"Heheheheh… Quite correct! In fact, I'm so evil, I'll say this! If you tell Mr. Detective too much, I'll take your mind and kill him! Isn't it lovely?"

"Shut up!"

----------

Cid sneezed over a bottle Heineken on the coffee table. He didn't believe in that old Japanese superstition, but there was room to be slightly paranoid. He grabbed the bottle anxiously, leaned back, and tilted the bottle up. What a night…

"So you drink and smoke…that's quite the combination."

Cid nearly choked on the poison and saw that Valentine was finished with her shower. Unfortunately, her attire made him feel more uncomfortable: an oversized tee-shirt with probably nothing else.

"How can you dress like that in front of a guy?" Cid asked.

"Relax," Val replied. Val lifted up the shirt and revealed a pair of shorts.

"And besides," Val added. "I am more concerned with being comfortable than to cow-tow to the embarrassment of an old man…"

"I'm 27!" Cid snapped.

"But I'm 16," Val retorted. "You're old to me."

Cid took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He set down the bottle and took out cigarette. Beer was not going to cut it right now.

"Thank God!" Val cried.

Cid lit his cigarette and almost put the box on the table, but Valentine snatched both box and lighter away. "Hey!"

Cid watched in horror as Val pulled out a cigarette, lighted up, and took a long, good drag. "You are way too young to be smoking!" Cid scolded.

"Everyone is too young to be smoking," Val replied. "I've been dying for a smoke all day."

"You really should quit!"

"I'll quit if you quit."

Cid rubbed in head and moaned in frustration. An ashtray sat on the table. Cid reluctantly destroyed the beautiful cancer stick inside the bowl. Valentine rolled her eyes and did the same.

"So…you wanted to know everything?" Val asked.

"Yes…"

"Absolutely everything?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Just tell me!"

Valentine chuckled, obviously knowing something he didn't. "Are you willing to leave your job for it?" she asked.

Cid pressed his lips together in annoyance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Val reached into her shirt for something. "Everything you want to know is government top secret…there are two options. One, you have to quit your job and come with me. Two…let's make a long story short…you die..."

"Is there a third option?" Cid asked meekly.

"Nope!" Val replied cheerfully. "Nein!"

"I've been swindled," Cid declared angrily. "You didn't tell me it was that big!"

"I thought you already knew that."

Cid slumped and nodded in agreement of his stupidity.

"Forget it than," Cid answered. "I like my job, and I don't want a bullet in the face."

"Suit yourself," Val replied teasingly. "You and your dead end job."

Cid glared at the brazen girl and got up from the couch. "I'm getting some shut-eye…"

"Off to dream about your dead end job?" Val asked.

Cid realized why this girl was born so cute.

----------

"Seph, put the violin down…I have to give to you…I told you that five minutes ago."

Sephiroth attempted to play in peace inside the private airplane. He pretended that he didn't hear his sister and kept playing. Lucy became annoyed and tried to yank the bow out of his hand. Sephiroth was stronger and yanked back. Lucy held fast and fell onto his lap by accident, much more to his surprise than hers. Her face squished into the leather of the seat, and she jerked back in discomfort. Her breath hit his face.

"Okay," Lucy said in submission. "I give you another five minutes…"

Sephiroth lightly pushed her off and dropped the violin on the next seat. He looked out the window.

"Seph?"

"Just do it now…I don't care anymore…"

Lucy frowned and hovered over him like a vulture.

"What's gotten into you all the sudden?" she asked.

"Nothing," Sephiroth answered. "I'm just tired…"

Lucy shrugged and grabbed the loaded syringe from the table.

"Take off your shirt," Lucy droned. "You know the drill."

"Yes, mother," he mocked. He proceeded to take the dress-shirt off…slowly.

Lucy growled and tore left side of his shirt; the buttons flew everywhere.

"Hey!" Sephiroth complained.

"Suck it up, smartass!"

Anger took over her mind, and Lucy jabbed the syringe into his arm, rather than gently pricking him. His face contorted in pain. Lucy realized what she had done and but released the medicine anyhow.

"Damn, I'm so sorry…"

"That's alright…I rather like it when you give me shots."

"Don't say things like that," Lucy scolded.

Sephiroth laughed mockingly. A wave of fatigue splashed onto him, and his head began to drop.

"I know that this stuff makes you sleepy," Lucy declared. "But I need you to stay with me. Okay?"

"Okie-dokey," he replied in a bout of delirium.

Lucy regretted giving him the shot. "Good…listen…when we land, we're going to be in a tight situation. You get it? Tight?"

Sephiroth nodded tiredly. "Yeah…I get it."

"We also run risk of running into the Triads…you brought the Odachi with you, right?"

Sephiroth nodded with his eyes closed. Lucy groaned, reached down, and slapped him across the face.

"I have it!" Sephiroth shouted angrily.

"Good…we're meeting him somewhere in San Francisco…we don't know where yet so be on your toes…okay?"

Lucy looked down and saw that Sephiroth had fallen asleep. She gave him another slap to wake him up.

----------

As much as he hated it, Cid was wide-awake, staring at the ceiling above. Too many thoughts were in his head. First, he had become the true sole witness of an assassination. Then, a girl who was 11 years younger than him had dragged him around. Now, his life was apparently in danger. To make matters worse, he couldn't help but think that this Valentine girl looked rather familiar. Almost like…

"She's probably related to him," Cid concluded. "She's involved in this mess, so why not?"

The urge to smoke was still fresh in his mind. He thought of sneaking out of the apartment, not wanting the "innocent" to be tempted. However, with someone wanting his head at the moment, he didn't favor the idea for very long. It was so frustrating. In the end, he settled for a beer and dragged himself out of bed.

He passed through living room and made sure that Val was sound asleep on the couch. He snuck quietly into the kitchen and prayed that the refrigerator light wouldn't wake her up. The Heineken was in view; he gently popped off the top.

"Hey, Cid…"

Cid turned frantically, like a criminal caught in the act. Val was still lying down on the couch and apparently had been awake.

"Cid," she said. "I have a question."

Cid shrugged his shoulders and leaned on the counter.

"What is defined as human?"

"Huh?"

"What is defined by as human?" Val repeated.

Cid squinted his eyes. He had left the refrigerator open, and the light began to hurt.

"Dunno," he mumbled sleepily. "Who gives a…"

"Don't say that!" Valentine scolded. "That's terrible!"

Cid winced and bumped his head on the cupboard behind him. He groaned in pain and cursed before rubbing his head. Finally, he shut the refrigerator door and walked out of the kitchen.

"You're sensitive all the sudden," Cid commented.

"I had a nightmare," Valentine explained. "No, a flashback. But I dreamed it, and it was bad enough to be one…please, tell me. What is defined as human?"

Cid stayed silent without saying a word.

"Forget it," she said. "I shouldn't have asked."

"I'm not done answering your question."

Cid thought hard and finally had some beer. He walked over and demanded room on the couch; Val sat up in response.

"Humans have humanity, right?" he suggested. "Humans have emotions and morals and common sense. That has to be it. Why are you even asking?"

"No, humanity has nothing to do with being human," Valentine argued.

"Why's that?"

"If there is a God…and I do believe there is one…humanity couldn't be it. God loves all human beings. He has morals…He can feel…He has more common sense than anyone else. But He's not human."

Valentine tightly grabbed onto her shirt at the chest and gritted her teeth.

"Not human at all…"

"Why are you upset?" Cid asked. "Why are you so worked up over a dream?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's complicated. And you already said that you wanted nothing to do with it."

Cid gave a stubborn look in the dark and drank more.

"If I ask, that means I care," Cid answered.

"That's not true," Val said.

"It's true for me!"

"If I tell you why," Val whispered. "You'll have to come with me or die."

Cid sighed in frustration and leaned back into the couch. His eye began to twitch.

"I'm sick," Val continued. "I am sick, sick, sick, sick of being treated like an animal. And when not I'm sick, I'm tired. I am sick and tired! I have feelings too, dammit! I have a personality! I'm human no matter what they say. I doesn't matter how I was born…or what I can do. And even if I wasn't 'human', what's so great aboutbeing it? Attila the Hun was a so-called human and so was Hitler! You know what they were like…That's why I asked what it meant. What does it really mean anyway?"

Valentine smiled in satisfaction and leaned back. She saw the beer in Cid's hand.

"May I?" she asked.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Cid protested.

"My countries drinking age is 15," Val argued. "I just want a sip. I don't even like beer."

Cid reluctantly handed it over. Val drank, grimaced, gagged, and rapidly shook her head before giving it back.

"I don't picture rich kids smoking and taking a swig at beer," Cid said.

Val raised her hand, signaling that she had something to say, but still tried to recover.

"I prefer sake," Val said. "And maybe we 'rich kids' aren't what society pictures us to be. Maybe, we're just like everybody else. Of course, that would be if the phrase 'normal' were a plausible word. I'd like to shoot the bastard who made up the word. Along with the guy who made up 'human'…"

"You talk like a free-thinker," Cid commented. "What grade are you in?"

"I finished school 3 years ago. Accelerated course. One of the privileges of rich…private tutoring…"

Cid was still wide-awake. At least he was no longer alone.

"Hey, Cid?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm hungry."

----------

How he was convinced to go out to eat this late, Cid had no idea. It crossed his mind that Val had one hell of a puppy pout. Despite the front he put, Cid was always a sucker for that sort of thing. Luckily for him, there was a great secret in the heart of Chinatown: a classy, dim sum restaurant with good food and better prices…and it was open 'till 3am.

"How come we had to go out to eat at 1 am?" Cid asked.

"Cuz your refrigerator has nothing in it," Val replied bluntly. "You must be single."

"I had soybeans and ham," Cid said. "That's good for you…"

Valentine turned pale with horror. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"What's wrong with soy and ham?" Cid asked.

"I'm deathly allergic to soy," Val said. "And I hate ham! Pigs are filthy animals. They eat their own dead babies. Did you know that in order to get all of the parasites out of pork, you'd have to charbroil it until it was inedible?"

Cid felt sick to stomach and was sorry that he had asked. A person with a cart of dumplings came by, and Valentine eagerly waved them over. She took one of everything on the cart, except for the pork dumplings.

"You may not like pig," Cid teased, "But you sure eat like one."

"I need more food than most people," Val defended. "It runs in my family. And believe me, pigs eat less than I do. Way less. Want some chicken dumplings?"

Cid nodded in resignation and struggled with the chopsticks. He saw that Val used them with ease and immediately became jealous.

"How can you use these things?"

"I practice…"

A Chinese waitress came by and brought a cup of coffee to the table. Cid gave her a funny look.

"We didn't order any coffee."

The waitress pointed to another table, where two Chinese men sat, looking straight at them. Valentine glanced for a moment but then continued eating with a hint of indifference.

"Those two request it," the waitress replied in poor English. "I not know who they are…"

The waitress began to walk away, but Val stopped her.

"Can you pack the rest of this food to go, please?" Val asked. "I also want some bean jelly pastries…and bring me two forks…the silverware kind. Not the plastic."

The waitress frowned at the strange order but did as she was told anyhow. As soon as she was gone, the two men walked over and made themselves welcome at the table. Cid felt a qualm.

"Uh…who are you guys?"

The waitress had left some Peking duck on the table, so Val kept on eating.

Cid moved to get up, but a gun was soon pointed in his direction under the table. A wave of panic surged through him, but he kept a façade of calm. He looked to Valentine, who was in the same type of trouble. She kept on eating and had a playful smile on her face.

Oops...did I just write another cliffhanger? Oh well...