New Ways

Chapter 6:

Paranoia

"Oh, God..." Yuffie muttered. She woke up and saw blurry images of a very familiar place. Her wrists hurt and so did her ankles, but she didn't notice it, for she was trying to find out where she is...

Daddy?

Yes, this was where she is. The fifth floor of the Pagoda Tower. The deathbed of her father. She blinked as her eyes readjusted to the surroundings, trying to make out what was happening.

"So, the bitch is awake," a voice laughed, and you look in the direction of the stair case, and up came Staniv, Gorky and Chekhov.

"Bite me," Yuffie uttered, narrowing her eyes.

Gorky tisk-ed her. "Not too graceful."

Yuffie narrowed her eyes more, and spat on Gorky's face.

He smirked, then blew a punch at Yuffie's stomach. She screamed in pain, then calmed herself down. She attempted to kick him in the face, but when she lifted her foot, a sharp cut jolted her back and she realized that her feet were tied at the ankles against something... A large wooden pole, and her wrists were tied up as well. Shit.

* * *

"Mr. Vincent?" an urging voice called, "Mr. Vincent!"

Vincent kept walking, ignoring the childish voice.

"DAMMIT, VINCENT!"

Vincent turned around and saw Shake standing behind him.

"What?" Vincent asked.

"Where's Yuffie? She's not home."

Vincent frowned. "Did you check the inn? The Da-Chao?"

"Yes, and yes," Shake said, "I checked everywhere except the tower, but considering that's where her dad died, I don't think she'd go there."

"What are you guys talking about?" came a joyous Tifa, stolling towards the two with Cloud following close behind.

"We dont' know where Yuffie is," Vincent explained.

"Why dont' you check the tower?" Cloud asked.

"It's where her dad died! Would you go to where your dad died?!" Shake exclaimed.

Tifa and Cloud thought for a moment, then decided upon a 'yes'.

"Why would she be in the tower?" Shake thought out loud.

"Shake," Vincent asked quietly, "Why did she want my protection?"

"She wanted protection?" Tifa repeated, surprised that the cocky ninja wanted anything.

Shake stared at Vincent. "Alright... I'll tell you... Provided you won't tell anyone."

"Well, we gotta tell the others," Tifa said, and Cloud nodded in agreement, "As annoying as Yuffie is, or was, she's still our friend. Well, at least, my friend."

Shake sighed. "Alright, get your other friends..."

Tifa and Cloud found Red XIII staring at the Da-Chao, while Barret and Cid were at the bar, laughing and talking about "old times". Cait Sith was found just walking around town aimlessly. They gathered together and Shake told them everything. Every single detail, every little twists of story.

"So that's what's happening..." Vincent said quietly.

"Wait- if we can't find Yuffie, then..." Cloud left the sentence hanging, hoping that everyone would get the picture in their heads.

"I'll check their homes," Shake said, 'their' being Staniv, Chekhov and Gorky's. Of course, they weren't there.

"They're trying to kill her in the tower," Shake realized, "Shit."

* * *

Yuffie's been knocked unconscious, and then regained consciousness all too many times to count. Blood trickled from her nose and out of the corner of her lips, and bruises were splattered all over her body. Rope burns on her wrists and ankles cut deep into her skin, and she often feels it bleeding once in a while. Amazing that rubbing skin with a rough surface can cut you.

"Vincent..." she whispered, too quietly for anyone to hear her, "Where are you? You're supposed to protect me..." It was then that she remembered how cruel she was to him, and tears formed in her eyes, but she refused to let them out. She can't let her father's murderers see her cry. She must stay strong. "Your father's feelings for Wutai are the same as yours..." That's a load of bullshit, Staniv. No, you are a load of bullshit. Just a load of bullshit...

For a moment, she saw a flash of red near the staircase, and of course, it registered to her as Vincent, but... People get paranoid when they get beaten up. He's not really there. Afterall, why would he come after she's been so cruel to him?

* * *

"Shit..." Vincent uttered.

"What?" Cloud asked.

"I can't get a shot of the ropes holding Yuffie's limbs, not at this angle," Vincent whispered.

"Alright," Cloud said, "We outnumber them anyway. Shake, take Vincent to the hill behind the tower. You can shoot through the window."

Vincent nodded, and grabbed his sniper rifle, then followed Shake out of the tower and up a steep hill.

"Do you have a shot?" Shake asked as Vincent crouched down low and aimed his gun.

Vincent nodded, and closed one eye, then aimed very carefully. If he missed, then he could never forgive himself for as long as he lived.

* * *

Yuffie sighed. I'm as good as dead. Just then a crash sound rang through the room as she felt a sharp yet muted jolt shock her hands, and her back as well, and she felt that her hands were lighter than usual. Another muted jolt rumbled her back, but this time, it was her ankles that felt light. She fell forward, and pulled her hands out to catch her body. Staring at her reflexes, she realized that she was free.

"Hold it right there!" Cloud yelled, charging in, drawing his sword out. His team members followed, holding out their weapons. Yuffie walked around to the other side of the wooden pole, the one facing the broken window, and saw two bullet holes with a silver bullet in each. Only one person could have an aim that accurate- Vincent Valentine. So I wasn't paranoid... He really came.

Staniv and Chekhov held their hands up, while Yuffie wiped blood from her face with her hand. Sweat had formed at the hairline and forehead, making her face disgustingly sticky.

"Guys?" Yuffie called, "Where's Vincent and Shake?"

"Out on the hill," Cloud said, keeping his sword drawn, yet glancing over at Yuffie, "Vincent needed a clean shot of your restraints, so I sent them up there."

"Hey," Barret called, pointing his gun-arm at the two murderers, "Where's the fatass?"

Just then, a loud bang rumbled through Yuffie's ears. No one else sensed it, but Yuffie knew exactly what it was- the sound of a sniper rifle being shot. "SHAKE!!!" Yuffie yelled, then she ran hysterically down the stairs, exiting the tower. She ran towards the tree-covered hill north of the tower and ran insanely along the cement ground. Her platforms made it extremely hard to run in, so she kicked it off, then continued. When she got up to the soft ground of the hill, she saw Vincent holding both hands up, and Gorky with Shake. Where's the rifle?

"Yuffie!" Shake yelled, seeing her out of the corner of his eye.

"Shut up, boy!" Gorky yelled, and turned to see where Yuffie was, and it was at that moment that Yuffie saw the gun- pointing at Shake's neck.

"Let him go, Gorky," Yuffie commanded.

"Only if you decide to give up Wutai," Gorky threatened.

"Don't do it, Yuffie!" Shake yelled.

"Shut up!" Gorky inched the gun closer to Shake's neck, and Yuffie felt her heartbeat thump louder and faster until it was all she could hear. It blocked out her thinking voice, talking voices, everything.

"Let him go!" Yuffie repeated.

"Give me Wutai!" Gorky yelled insanely.

Yuffie muttered nervously as she tried to clear her mind and think.

"Ten seconds, girl," Gorky threatened, "Nine, eight,"

"Uh..."

"seven, six, five, four, three, two, one,"

"Give me seven days!" Yuffie finally yelled.