Look! We promised we'd come back! Things have been crazy, but this wasn't forgotten or thrown out, just set aside so more important things could take place. Sorry to any who got tired of waiting, and sorrier to any still crossing your fingers for another chapter.

Now, as it's been a while, Cal and I suggest you re-read the last chapter to remind yourself where the story left off, as this one depends rather heavily on that one. Happy reading!

It shouldn't have been enough, but it was. Between listening to Vincent's encouragement and feeling it through both the hand on his neck and the shudders and twitches causing Vincent's body to jerk beneath him, Cid found himself also nearing orgasm. It hit, finally made possible by the friction made against the mattress, while he was still swallowing around Vincent's spurting cock. His hips stilled moments after Vincent's did, and as his mouth gently pulled away, he released a small sigh that was the only evidence of his own pleasure apart from the fluids cooling on the sheets. He rested his head on Vincent's thigh and smiled up at him, arms relaxing and body warm and heavy.

"I am definitely impressed," Vincent mumbled as he blinked rapidly to focus his eyesight. "And have absolutely no complaints." He trailed his fingers through Cid's wild blond hair while his other hand came up to rest upon his stomach. Cid looked so happy, it warmed him enough to diminish the small spike of shame he felt at his inability to return the affection in the same manner. But if he was lucky enough to get one more chance he would correct that. He would see to it. The sleepy, somewhat drugged smile he returned was reflected in his eyes as he gave a little tug on Cid's hair. "Shall I write you a letter of recommendation?" He gave the cop a lazy wink and mischievous grin. "Or perhaps I should just keep you to myself."

"Glad I c'd stand up t'yer 'high expectations'," Cid teased. "But I won't work as good fer nobody else." Idly nuzzling Vincent's thigh as he continued to rest his head there, Cid felt heat rising to cheeks inexplicably. What if Vincent, oblivious, asked if Cid wanted the favor returned in some way? How would he explain that? Even worse, would it make Vincent feel inadequate to know that Cid had been content in finding pleasure for himself? He would just have to hope that Vincent was not oblivious, and that he was not left with any negative feelings. A minute or two passed, and Cid brought himself onto his knees, eyes full of caution. After appraising Vincent's reaction briefly, he leaned forward and pressed their lips together again, certain that now they could kiss all they wanted without becoming distracted.

As their lips came together, Vincent hummed his approval, his hands coming up of their own accord to frame the cop's face. Suddenly uncomfortable, but not willing to let Cid's mouth go, he began to wriggle down into a more prone position and encountered a damp spot that had not been there before. Lips sliding apart in a wide grin of guilty relief, he rolled them over so that he was braced on his arms over Cid, his hips finding a welcome cradle in between Cid's legs. Position achieved, he looked down into the face that squinted a little back at him. "Looks like there are no complaints all around, yes?" He murmured, rotating his hips suggestively and loving the feel of Cid's body pressed against his own.

"Now how could I have c'mplaints?"Cid asked, attempting to equal Vincent's teasing tone but failing as he felt himself starting to blush again, this time from mild shame at having nothing to offer Vincent and sensing no chance for recovery in the next few minutes…or hell, even the next week, after all they'd done. The way Vincent was moving—he couldn't possibly be planning to go again, could he? While it was perfectly welcome under normal circumstances… this might just be too much. He was lying on his back now over the same spot Vincent had noticed, and that only increased his discomfort. Cid found himself wishing he'd waited, maybe even demanding something from Vincent, just to avoid this whole problem. But that would have – dammit, he was thinking far too much about this. He had no one to impress, no quota to fill –and if there was one, he would have by now, he was sure- and no call to get so concerned. He also had nowhere to hide his face, so he pulled Vincent onto him and hid against his shoulder.

"Cid," Vincent sighed and pulled back up to rest on his arms. "Stop it. I hate it when you get like that. It puts a wrinkle in between your eyebrows that screams frown, and does a rather good job at convincing me that I cannot do anything right." He brushed the backs of his fingers over Cid's cheek. "I'm sorry if I came on too strong just them, but you do something to me that I cannot, for the life of me, explain." He took a deep breath and kissed Cid's forehead, moving to settle to the man's side, resting his head on Cid's shoulder. "Tseng will be here soon…" he whispered.

Startled at the reprimand, feeling worse now that Vincent felt bad, and nursing a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach at the mention of Tseng, Cid said nothing. He started to speak, several times, but each time thought better of it before a sound could leave him. He kept still and quiet until he feared the silence would drive Vincent away. "S'me who can't do anything right, y'know that. You know that already." He turned to face Vincent, eyes solemn as his arm went around Vincent and held him tightly. "Y'can't do me no wrong 'less ya leave me."

Vincent opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a sharp knock on Cid's front door as though to mention the man was to manifest him. It was so sudden, and so loud, that he actually cringed and clung closer to Cid, wrapping his arm around the man's chest and holding on. They both lay there, unmoving, breaths held, until the knock came again and Vincent let loose a soft sound of defeat, wilting into the mattress. Where his body had been warm and relaxed a cold began to creep into his limbs and his heart actually hurt. He sat up, slumped over, and looked down at his hands where they rested in his lap. "You may want to go and let him in before Tseng decides that you need a new front door." He mumbled.

Cid nodded and stumbled his way to the bathroom, where he tugged on the horrid yellow robe. He answered the door with no mask over his unhappiness, not that Tseng would have been fooled anyway. "C'min," he muttered, gesturing at the couch. "Wait there."

Tseng's only reply was to raise an eyebrow, and move to where the cop had gestured. He tried not to look too long at the eyesore that appeared to be a robe. It was almost as bad as Aerith's lacy pink one that she had almost gotten him to wear. He made a mental note not to drink with that woman again. As he leaned back against the wall Highwind had pointed at, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, he could just make out the pale form of his friend through the half-open door to the bedroom. Chest and shoulders bare, Vincent sat in the large bed, looking down into his lap, a resigned expression on his face, and abruptly Tseng felt awful for being the one to break up what evidently had been a very close moment between the two. He cleared his throat, causing Vincent to jerk his head up and meet his eyes. "Take your time, Vincent. We are in no hurry." He said softly, knowing Vincent would hear him just fine.

In the bedroom, Vincent snorted softly. Take my time, he thought. I don't wish to leave, but I have no choice, do I. Slowly he slid out of bed and headed over the chair that his clothes had somehow made it to. His arms were leaden as he began to drag them on. All he wanted to do was crawl back into bed and hide under the blankets like a child. Shit, I'm acting like a child now, sulking around because I cannot face up to my responsibilities. What's happened to me? He thought as he dressed himself. I used to get things done, never wasting thought on things not worth thinking about. Now, I whine and fish for excuses. It is unacceptable! But he looked over at Cid as the man slid his glasses on, dressed in that visual nightmare of a robe that made the poor man look like a great golden chocobo. He saw the slumped shoulders, the sad aura, defeated and just as resigned as he was. Finishing buttoning up his silk shirt he walked up behind Cid and slid his arms around the man's chest and rested his cheek against the side of Cid's head. "I'll be back next Friday," he whispered, burying his nose in Cid's hair and wishing what he said was true.

Cid nodded. He turned in Vincent's arms and attempted a quick, gruff sort of hug, but found that even in company he could not be satisfied with just that. He held Vincent close to him, arms around him firmly but not crushing him. His heart was breaking, or something like it. "Please," he whispered, or maybe there was no sound at all. As they pulled apart, Cid said, "I'll see ya then." To Tseng, he gave a raised eyebrow and halfhearted grin and asked, "If he needs kissin' an' I ain't around, y'll take care of 'im, right?"

Tseng returned the raised eyebrow and said wryly, "I believe, Mr. Highwind, that that is your job now. He will just have to wait."

Vincent snorted and shrugged on his coat as the weight of responsibility settled back upon his shoulders with sobering familiarity, dissolving the dreamlike quality of the past two days. He looked at Tseng and said, "No offense old friend, but I would rather kiss a Bandersnatch." He looked at Cid, and felt a stirring in his heart, one that was beginning to become welcome. He settled his coat onto his shoulders and replaced his fedora. He looked at Cid for a moment before he said, somewhat awkwardly, given the present company. "Thank you," he swallowed and looked down, slightly embarrassed, but no less honest. "For everything."

"Thank you," Cid replied, and reached up to touch Vincent's face. The tape on his glasses was making his nose itch, but he ignored it. Instead, he stretched up far enough to kiss Vincent in a way that was both intimate and decent enough to be seen by other people. Not that Tseng was really 'other people'. He was actually quite crucial to Vincent's existence, now that Cid thought about it. And that made him more like a part of the background of Vincent's life, which meant Cid could do whatever the hell he pleased in front of him. Mostly. To find out for sure, when they broke apart short moments later and Cid returned to his resting height, he caught Tseng's eye again and reached around to grab Vincent's ass with both hands and squeeze. "If 'e does go off kissin' Bandersnatches…well, you'll send 'im this way b'fore it gets t'that point, wontcha?"

Both of Tseng's eyebrows rose as he watched Cid most inappropriately grab his friend's backside. What stayed his tongue, and kindled a mischievous gleam in his black eyes was his friend's indignant, but not entirely displeased spluttering the action had caused. Fighting a grin, he said, "And the difference between you and a Bandersnatch would be?"

"Mostly I got less hair," Cid said nonchalantly, "an' sometimes I smell a little better'n they do. Ain't no question I'm a better kisser, what with they ain't even got lips." His hands had migrated to Vincent's hips and were resting there, thumbs stroking. "An' if I owned anything, I'd bet all of it on th'fact that I'm better in bed. But if y're anything like me, y'really don't wanna think about that too much 'cause some things is just goin' too damn far. Good enough?" he asked, grinning at Tseng but winking at Vincent.

Vincent blinked, his mouth falling open. How dare they! He was about ready to speak when Tseng beat him to it.

"Bandersnatches are notorious for carrying fleas, Mr. Highwind." Tseng said seriously. "If you are going to mate with Vincent I would hope that you would have taken care of that problem beforehand. He gets horribly cranky when he itches."

Vincent's eyes widened as he openly gaped at his friend. Again, he was about to reply when Cid beat him to it this time.

Cid clapped a hand to his forehead theatrically and said, "Dammit, I plumb fergot! Well, he's your problem now, yeah? F'e gets cranky later I won't hafta deal with it." Cid had never noticed before what hilarious faces Vincent was capable of making.

"What-?"

Tseng shook his head, thoroughly enjoying himself. "Mr. Highwind, I'm most displeased. If I have to cut his hair because of his scratching-"

"Then he'll be right pissed at both us, won't 'e? Heh, sorta like 'e is now? But hair grows back. Eh, Vincent, y'wouldn't look half bad with short hair, really," Cid said offhandedly, looking Vincent up and down and nodding. "Maybe a little goofy, though. Whatcha think?" he asked Tseng. "Chop it off just in case? I'll hold 'im still for ya."

Vincent's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You will do no such thi-"

"Mm, tempting offer." Tseng interrupted, tapping his chin thoughtfully as he appraised Vincent's hair. "But I think I rather like his hair long, though it makes him look a little effeminate."

Cid followed Tseng's gaze and found that they disagreed on this. "Nah, if y'dressed 'im up in a leather jacket and cover 'is arms wi'some tats, he'd make a damned intimidatin' biker, dontcha think?" He grinned and placed a finger over Vincent's lips, silencing the already silent splutters. "Plus, if 'e cut it short, it'd be damn hard fer me t'pull it like he likes, yeah?" he finished with a hugely exaggerated wink.

"Okay that's it." Vincent growled, fisting his hand in the front of Tseng's shirt and dragging the man up to where he was nearly nose-to-nose with him. The fact that Tseng was actually grinning only fueled his temper. "You, be silent." He looked over at Cid warningly. "And you, do not encourage him."

Cid simply made puppy eyes at Vincent and asked solemnly, "Don't y'want yer man an' yer best buddy t'get along, Vincent?" He snickered. "Th'way y're actin', anybody'd think me an' him was talkin' about you right in front o' yer face 'r somethin'! Ain't it a shame 'e gets so upset?" Cid made a valiant attempt to extricate Vincent's hand from the material of Tseng's shirt, and when he succeeded, he tugged the other man to him by the waist and tossed an arm around his shoulders. "'Sides, y'know y'love th'hell out of 'im. Might as well have two, right?" He released Tseng's shoulders and punched him in the arm lightly, resisting the urge to add "I tapped that" to the grin he sent in Vincent's direction. The grin faded when he remembered quite suddenly why Tseng was here, and he put an arm around each of them again and began walking them to the door. "Y'know if y'don't get goin' I'll find a way t'keep 'im here another day," he told Tseng quietly, "an' while I'd be perfectly happy t'keep th'both of ya here forever, th'world ain't gonna quit turnin', right? Some things gotta be done." He sighed, released Tseng again, and put both arms around Vincent's neck. "Be careful. R'member I love ya."

"I'll remember." Vincent whispered so only Cid could hear as he slid his arms around Cid's waist briefly. The man could piss him off with unprecedented skill and then in the next sentence just as quickly defuse him. Small wonder he always left Cid's apartment emotionally drained. He had a feeling it would continue to be a source of puzzlement for quite a long time.

Tseng politely averted his eyes, moved. Vincent had been right. No one could possibly be that compassionate, and yet here he was, witnessing it firsthand. How Cid had survived he didn't know, but somehow the man had. It was almost as if he were put on the planet, created just for Vincent. To save him. At that moment, Tseng felt a new respect for Cid begin to grow. When a minute had passed he put his hand gently on Vincent's shoulder, taking note of how Vincent flinched, and once again felt a stab of guilt for taking him away from this. "It's time, Vincent."

Vincent nodded and pulled back. Clearing his throat, he straightened his jacket once again, and followed Tseng out the door and down the stairs. But each step he took grew harder and harder to take until a rather substantial distance had lengthened between he and Tseng. He couldn't leave like this, something was…missing. "Wait a moment, Tseng." Vincent said softly, and when his second turned to face him, said, "Just wait here a moment, I'll be right back."

When Tseng nodded, a frown of inquiry pulling his brows down, Vincent nodded once and retraced his steps, taking them two at a time and growing lighter with each set that passed. When he got to Cid's door, he flung it open and strode right up to the startled man, grabbed the cop's face and crushed his lips down onto Cid's. He poured every pent up feeling into that kiss that he could and when they broke apart he pressed his cheek against Cid's so that his mouth was right by the other's ear. Softly, raggedly, he said in Wutainese, "I'm sorry that I have not the courage to say this in a language that you can understand. I do not know how you have done it, but you have come to mean the world to me, and I have not the knowledge of how I have survived without you. I love you, Cid Highwind…I love you." He waited a heartbeat longer before he pulled away, and without looking at Cid, turned and retraced his steps back to Tseng, pulling out his dark glasses and placing them on his face as he did so. The weight was still there, but he felt a little better, and he could make his legs move more willingly.

When the two men got outside, Tseng reached the waiting car first, opening the door as he did so, Vincent walked up to him asking, "Is everything in place?"

"Yes, sir." Tseng replied solemnly, slipping back into his familiar role.

Placing a hand on the open door, Vincent looked back over his shoulder and up at Cid's window briefly, before he got into the car and Tseng shut the door behind him.

Tseng, in turn took a moment to follow Vincent's gaze to the window in question where he saw the curtain pulled back a little as though someone where looking out. He placed the first two fingers of his right hand over the tattooed bindi on his forehead and bowed low at the waist. For the first time in fourteen years, he had seen a glimmer of life in Vincent's eyes, a desperate gasp of the vitality of his childhood friend. For that, Tseng owed Cid more than the man would ever know.

Cid had been heading to the window to watch them leave when Vincent had burst back inside, and for a moment Cid let himself believe that he would stay. The desperation in the kiss and the unfamiliar words told him otherwise, but he was grateful for them nonetheless. Someday, maybe, he would ask Vincent what was said, but for now he was content to hear the affection in them and guess at their meanings. When he did make it to the window, it was just in time to see Vincent turn back to him. Shouldn'ta looked back, Cid thought dully, inexplicably. He was so focused upon Vincent that he hardly noticed Tseng's parting gesture. Clueless as to how to return it, he merely nodded, registering moments later that he could have stuck out his tongue and crossed his eyes or made obscene gestures and neither of them would have been able to see anyway. When the vehicle was out of sight, Cid sighed heavily and retreated to the couch, flipping on the television and curling up with the blanket tossed over the arm.

In the car, on their way back to the ShinRa tower, Vincent sat looking sightlessly out the window as the buildings flashed by. "Are we doing anything with that warehouse in Edge, Tseng?" He asked suddenly.

"I don't believe so, sir, why?" Tseng replied flicking his eyes up into the rearview mirror to glance at Vincent.

"We are now."

"Care to elaborate on that, sir?"

"Cid is going to build a biplane. Please see to it that he has the funds, space, parts and help that is necessary to complete his task." Vincent said softly. "And that he gets his pilot's license."

"Vincent, you're speaking as though you do not plan to be around to see to this yourself," Tseng said warily.

Vincent smiled wanly. "My apologies, Tseng, if I implied that I would not be. But you know as well as I do about the world that we live in. Anything could happen at any time, and I want Cid to realize his dream if something were to happen to me. Promise me that you will see to it."

Tseng was silent a moment before he said solemnly, "I promise, Vincent."

"Good." Vincent said, feeling an unexpected weight lift off of his chest. "Good."

They rode the rest of the way back in silence, and when Tseng parked the car and they got out, Vincent said softly, "Go on ahead, Tseng, I need to think for a little while."

Tseng hesitated before nodding and entering the Tower. Vincent took his time, stopping by the giant, ornate fountain in the lobby and staring at the falling water. He reflected upon the last two days, and the emotional rollercoaster he had ridden with Cid and realized that much of what had been said and done had made very little sense to him. His behavior had been random, oftentimes irrational, and most of the time agonizingly volatile. Sephiroth had visited him in the waking-world, had threatened him with the loss of everything he had loved and yet when Cid had gone out alone had left the man unmolested and he didn't know why, which confused him even more. But through it all, at the core of it, he had felt…as though he belonged with Cid.

He rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache beginning just behind them. He needed to leave what had transpired between himself and Cid behind him and see to what had to be done now if he was to successfully separate from Rufus and take the man down. All the necessary legal documents had been collected and the witness, Priscilla –whom he had taken great pains to hide from ShinRa- had been notified of her upcoming testimony. But most importantly the document he had taken great pains in preparing (and having Rufus sign), dictating that in the event something should happen to Rufus, then he would assume full control of all of the assets associated with and including ownership of ShinRa Pharmaceuticals, was safely hidden away in his private safe.

Vincent shook his head. He needed to clear it before Monday, when all of his carefully laid plans would be put into motion. With a last glance at the fountain and a sigh he turned to the large bank of elevators at the end of the lobby and began his assent to the 34th floor, watching the skyline from inside the glass-walled tube, his mind blank. With a 'ding' the door opened and he exited, following the hallway toward his office when someone called his name. With a raised brow he swung around to face the speaker, and that was when the world stopped turning.

There was a sudden, loud 'bang', and something hit his chest with enough force to send him stumbling back several steps. Startled, Vincent looked down and watched a wet, red fluid begin to saturate the fabric covering his heart. Confused, he touched it with trembling fingers, bringing them up to eye level, and as soon as he identified the mysterious fluid as blood, the pain hit him with the force of a battering ram. "What?" he gasped, looking up into Rufus's blue eyes as his legs buckled and he fell to his knees as though all his strength were pumping out of the hole in his chest with each weakening heartbeat. He fell forward onto an arm as he struggled to breathe, but his lungs wouldn't work. Wincing, he rolled over onto his back, just managing to take short shallow breaths, each one burning like the very fires of hell. It wasn't enough, not nearly enough, as he struggled to clear his vision as it swam and began to darken. The precious gasps began to gurgle as his lungs started to fill with blood. Cid! His mind screamed as the panic grew to a tempestuous level, Cid, help me! Don't let me die!

And then a detached calm fell over him, a calm much like the one he had felt in Cid's apartment. He was dying, he knew it, and with that realization the fear evaporated. His lips were tingling, as his breaths became further and further apart. He couldn't feel anything below his chest as he stared dully at the ceiling. Funny how he had never noticed that burned-out lightbulb before and the water stain next to it…

"It's over, Vincent." Rufus sneered, coming to stand over his body, looking down at him with such hate in his cold eyes. In Rufus's hand was a gun. "You've played me for the last time. They said to wait, but they'll just have to deal with it. I hate you. I've always hated you, from the first moment I saw you and enslaved you with the mako." He nudged Vincent's limp body with a white-shoed toe. "I've thought of so many different ways to kill you. And now, it's done. I'll strip your dead body and display it for all of your 'allies' so they'll know who to really fear." Rufus raised the gun and leveled it at his head. "Goodbye, you worthless whore…"

Vincent stared dumbly at the barrel and when the shot was fired it wasn't from Rufus's weapon. Instead the man disappeared from his darkening vision to be replaced by someone else. Someone he knew. Someone he trusted. "You…" he wheezed before his vision failed completely. As the darkness swallowed him, he heard a baby crying in the distance, and his last thoughts were: I'll fly with you, Cid…I'll fly…with…you…