Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VI

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Well, I'm back - and this time it's the conclusion of 'Phone'! I know you've all been excited for this so I hope you all like it... Enjoy!

031. Phone, Part 4

You have 8 new messages:

"Hey, Vincent."

'Yuffie?'

"I am, like, actually in Wutai. You know, if you wanted to come and see me for any reason."

'Why are there so many people around? Why does your voice sound so shallow?'

"Yeah, it's been kinda a rough ride. But I'm all better now! Well, kinda. I've still got this thing... And there's a thing.. And then there's her..."

'Who is she? What are you talking about? What is wrong?'

"I've been, you know, in and out of places."

'Where are you?'

"But I am seriously in Wutai. Like, honestly this time. I'm actually not lying, for once."

'Yuffie? What is wrong?'

"Oh yeah - my dad is sooo pissed at me! If it weren't so serious, it might be kinda funny. You know, in a 'well, screw you' type way."

'Why did we not hear about this? Why did you not tell us?'

"Well, I was talking to Red and Tifa about it the other day, and they think that I'll be all good if I go back to Edge, but I kinda don't wanna. That might make things like a ton worse, and I can't really afford to take much more space of Tifa anymore. I mean, I kinda require a fair amount of space, and they've got their chocobo babies now so..."

'You spoke to those two, but declined to call me? You did not even leave me a message?'

"Yeah, now you know how it feels to be left out! Ha!"

'I suppose I deserved that.'

"But don't go crawling back into your coffin; it might be nice to, I don't know, keep you around a bit."

'Yes... I believe that feeling is mutual.'

"Oh and I got something to show you actually."

'Oh?'

"Yeah, I'm gonna call her the Single Pink Rose of-"

"Ms. Yayoi? The doc-"

"I gotta go Vincent, bye."

'Why is she in a hospital? Is she okay? We must go to Wutai.'

You have 9 new messages:

"Was it you who sent Tifa and Cloud and Cid to get me?"

'Yes... It was me.'

"Isn't it a bit cowardly that you didn't come too? I mean... Oh, never mind."

'She sounds... Angry. Irate, to say the least.'

"But I'm back in Edge now."

'Good. I hope you are well.'

"Yeah, although I bet you heard that from someone. I'm sure you've heard all about everything else too."

'No. What has happened? Is something wrong? Are... are you well?'

"Well, we're all fine, in case you were wondering.'

'I am glad... And I am confused. Is something wrong, Yuffie?'

"And in the miracle that someone didn't tell you then... Go pick up a newspaper. Any one will do, really. Aw man, I'm such a coward. It's not even like it's my problem, this is so much bigger than just me, now."

'A newspaper? I haven't looked for days... Let me see.'

"Yeah, I'm surprised that everyone cares so much, but then again I suppose it's kinda big news. I am the princess of an entire country after all. Although, I think my pops might be kicking me out."

'What is this? It just talks about the stocks plummeting and has the television listings. There's nothing about Yuffie in here. Why should there be? What has happened?'

"They're all calling her the 'Pink Rose of Wutai'. It's a cute title, fit for her. I approve."

'Does she have a younger sister? Or a step-mother? Is that why she's being 'kicked out'? I... I don't think I quite understand.'

"Oh, Reeve wants to meet us both in the WRO building on Tuesday. Yeah, he says he wants the 'get the team back together', go figure. Well, we were an excellent team. Go figure him to be all 'business over personal relationships'. I don't know how Liliana does it, being married to him-"

'Were'? We still are... Are we not?'

"So, meet me in the WRO building on Tuesday, okay? Reeve's office."

'I see.'

"And Vincent? You're the worst. It's been months and you haven't even dropped by. I'm- I'm so angry with you, and with myself that I ever even bothered liking you a little bit. I... I'm-"

"Yuffie! They're waking up! And crying!"

"Come on! it's like three in the morning."

'Three O' Clock.. In the morning? Why is she still up?'

"Okay, okay-"

'She hung up? Why is she so distant? Lucrecia, why is she being so distant?'

I was anxious for the meeting, on Tuesday. I was only chairing it, but I just knew that Yuffie might need my help, and so would Vincent. After all, they hadn't seen each other for a year or so. I felt sorry for Vincent in a way, to be kept in the dark for so long. And for Yuffie, because she endured everything alone. If we hadn't heard Vincent, we would've thought he didn't care, either. But no matter, I had barely sat behind my desk before Yuffie arrived, looking older, and slightly sleep deprived. She didn't look like a mother, not yet, but very few had Tifa's warm maternal nature or my wife's soft bearings. Yuffie, suffice to say, had neither. She was all action and bouncy - not patient and gentle at all.

"You look tired." I commented as she settled into her chair, giving the other, vacant one a hard stare.

"I'm like, uber tired. All the time. They keep me up like, all night. Can I just sleep here please?" She asked, appraising the wooden desk in front of her. "It looks kinda comfy."

I laughed, watching as she yawned widely. "I think there are a few more things to address before you can sleep again."

"Yeah, yeah I guess." She commented, leaning back in her chair with a sigh, as the door clicked open and Vincent walked in. He still didn't look a day older than the day he slipped out if his coffin, eerily.

"Hello Vincent." I greeted as the dark gunslinger took his seat next to Yuffie in front of my desk, and looked at the sleepy woman next to him.

"S'up Vincent."

"Yuffie. You look... Tired."

She snorted and sat up straight, cocking an eyebrow at him. "Nice to see you too!"

He frowned at her. How strange, he didn't really know how to react. I don't suppose I would either, in this situation.

"I have called you both here to speak to you about your working schedules. Now, as you know Vincent, Yuffie isn't available to work all the time now, and I would understand if you wanted to take some time off too, especially now."

"Why?" He asked cluelessly, frowning as he looked between the both of us.

"Because... Sorry? What do you mean?" I was so confused, why was he asking that? Did he not... Did he seriously not know?

"Oh my gawd. Don't tell me you still don't know. Does the news just, like, bounce off you or something?" Yuffie snorted, rolling her eyes as she slumped back into her chair again, sinking further down.

"I live in Nibleheim - nothing happens there."

"Huh, go figure."

Yuffie paused, and the room fell silent.

"Hey Reeve, have you got a newspaper still?" She asked leaning on the desk.

"Yes, I think I might keep that article forever. It was quite... Amusing."

"I know, right? It was really funny, once I stopped being offended."

Vincent looked between the two of us in silence as Yuffie flicked through the newspaper, skimming for the right article - when she found it, a large two-page spread, with a enormous picture of Yuffie, carrying Shizuka into Edge Hospital.

"Is that your sister?" He asked, nodding to the picture.

I sucked in air through my teeth.

"Ouch! How young do you think I am? Clearly I was old enough for you to sleep with me. I mean... That's harsh." She frowned at him, fiddling with her fingers absently. "That's my daughter, genius."

"Your daughter?" Vincent recoiled visibly, peering at the picture from a distance.

"Yeah. And yours." Yuffie was skimming the article again by this time, chuckling at the list of possible fathers they had down. Rude and Reno and Tseng all featured, but not Vincent - not at all. He was only mentioned in the article as a potential godfather. How ironic.

"That is why you are allowed to take some time off, now-"

"You had my daughter, and did not even tell me?" Vincent asked, with a calm voice that bubbled beneath the surface.

"Well she's my daughter too. I had to carry her for nine months, all you had to do was-"

"Yuffie." I warned.

"Sorry." She waved her hand in my direction nonchalantly. "I did try to tell you, I just kept on getting cut off in my messages. Oh, and you could've called me, by the way. Maybe I would've told you if you actually called me once." She crossed her arms and looked he other way, her eyes growing slightly red and watery. I had seen how badly Vincent's ignoring had affected her, and it made me want to interfere personally sometimes, but that would never end well - I left it to Tifa, who was calmer and more rational. "It kinda gives off the message that you don't really want to see me, or talk to me, ever. I was having a baby, I'm too young and a princess, and I didn't need to involve a dad who I didn't think cared enough about me, the only living person he's got close to in a century - so why should you care about her?"

"I... I am sorry." He said, defeated. "May I see her?"

"Oh, Shizuka?"

"That is her name?"

"Yeah, Shizuka Valentina Kisaragi, actually."

I could see Vincent flinch when Yuffie said her surname, not his, but he recovered well.

"Why did she go to the hospital? She's not... ill, is she?" He asked as his eyes widened and realisation crossed his face.

"Just wanted to check that she wasn't all Chaos-ed up. Oh, and that her eyes work properly. Sometimes, partial-albinism doesn't go well Vincent." She explained nonchalantly, getting up with a yawn, leaving the dumbstruck stoic man in her wake.

"Come on, let's go, I'll call you back later, okay Reeve?"

I nodded as they exited the room, and Vincent was more inquisitive than I've ever seen him. Well, that was one thing sorted. Maybe next time I'd get my top team back.

You have 10 new messages:

"Hey Vinnie, I can't believe you didn't pick up on me! You little... Never mind."

'Its been at least three years since the last time I missed a call, and about seven years before that since I left your messages unread. Please, give me at least that.'

"Well, yeah, you've been kinda good in the past... Years, so I'll give you that."

'Thank you.'

"Shizuka and I will be coming home soon, so you'd better be there when we get back!"

'Yes ma'am. Wait...'

"Cid's dropping us back in Nibelheim on his way out of Edge, so we'll be back this evening. How're the kids?"

'Nao and Ruby are well. It will be good to have the two of you back.'

"Hmmm... What else was there?"

"Mom! You always get distracted when you're phoning dad! It was about his party."

"Oh yeah! One more thing, everyone can make it for your birthday, you know, the party in two weeks?"

'It would be good to see everyone. It has been a while since I spoke to some - to Barrett in particular.'

"Ooh - and the Chocobo babies! Do you know how tall the twins are now?! Well, mostly Jasper, but it's ridiculous, he's just so tall!"

'Mako certainly can do some wonders for genetic engineering. It's not worth it, though.'

"They're way too good looking too, at least one if them should have Chocobo butt's hair-"

"-hey! I thought we'd agreed to stop calling me that now!"

"Sorry Cloud, but you did call me Ninja brat, and that brakes the agreement."

"You stole my materia."

"You left your materia out."

"Cloud, Yuffie, please stop,"

'I must remember to thank Shizuka, again.'

"Well, later Vinnie!"

Finally, the end! I hope you enjoyed my first so-big-I-split-it-up one shot! I'd been toying with this idea for a while, so it's nice to finally put it to good use!

Ah, and when I used the surname 'Yayoi' for Yuffie - that's an old name for the Japanese months, as Kisagrai is (which for February). So... yay for themes(?)

I guess I don't really have much else to say, although I feel like I should after something like this... Well, anyway. This isn't the end! I still have plenty of oneshots left so please stick around for more.

Please review if you've the time, and follow if you want to know when there's more. Thanks!