New Ways

Epilogue Part 2:

The Quest for Vincent

A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know, this epilogue is turning out to be more like "the end of a story", but really, Vincent leaving Yuffie is the end of the story, which would make this either the epilogue or the VERY short sequel, and personally because it is just bits and pieces here and there, I prefer the epilogue.

Yuffie was all alone now. She was surrounded by vast and endless fields of green, enveloping her, and above was a crystal sky spotted with wisps of clouds, swirling with the wind. Miles and miles away from the nearest city, there was nothing in sight except for gently rolling hills of green, which fade away to a dry yellow as she approaches them.

To find Vincent in this massive something-yet-nothingness was nearly impossible. She had no clue where to search first. Of course, she did know, she just didn't want to search there for fear that she'd find Vincent. She wanted to find him, just not there- in the cave behind the waterfall, the place Vincent saw his long-lost love. If she were to find him there, she'd be very much hurt- it would mean Vincent is still in love with Lucrecia, and she'd be rejected, which would hurt her pride, and Yuffie was a proud girl.

But she had to find him, regardless of where. Swallowing up her pride, she took long strides east to the Nibel area. Besides- if Lucrecia was still in that God-forbid cave, she could always shut her up with her wittiness and feisty attitude, which she had grown to be proud of.

* * *

She was here.

In an almost unmapped area of the small world she saved.

To her right was a lake. To her left were mountains, peaking high into the sky. In front of her was a thundering waterfall, crashing, smothering the voice of all thoughts. Straight forward was where she needed to go.

Small droplets of mist from the waterfall soak Yuffie's face and front. She knew she had to go through to the other side, but she didn't know if she wanted to. Of course, if Vincent was here, she'd be glad, but then again, he'd have to be here if she found him here, and she's hoping he's not.

Hoping she won't regret it, she stepped forward into the heavy waterfall, feeling the massive drops of water sting her back like many slivers digging into her skin.

A matter of seconds later, she was in the cave. Long wet bangs stuck against her face, and she quickly pulled it away from her cheeks. They had grown over the years, and were now long enough to be tucked behind her ears but a strand still fell across her face. Irritation slowly growing, she shoved that disobediant strand impatiently behind her ear, but it still fell forward and she ignored it.

"Vincent?" she called, her voice echoing against the stone walls of the cave. Slowly, she walked forward, feeling the fabric of her top cling against her skin uncomfortably, making her feel almost immobile. "Vincent!"

"Yes?"

Yuffie spun around and saw Vincent, wet and soaked, as he had just walked past the booming falls. His long dark hair was matted against his face and neck, in perfect opposition to his pale face.

Yuffie swallowed down a lump in her throat. She hid her pain of seeing Vincent in the place of his "lover", and put on an emotionless face. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Vincent asked coolly.

Yuffie shivered lightly, then gathered up her courage to stare him straight in the eye and say with a quivering yet strong voice, "Looking for you."

Vincent was quiet. His eyes gave nothing away, his face was a blank slate. His ability to hide was frightening Yuffie slightly, as she had no idea what he was thinking.

"Now answer my question," Yuffie ordered.

"I'm looking for Lucrecia."

Yuffie's most dreaded answer. The name Lucrecia bounced off the walls, amplified a million times before clicking into her mind a thousand times.

"I see..."

As Yuffie walked forward towards the waterfall, heading for the exit of the cave, Vincent's voice stopped her.

"I wanted to tell her I didn't love her," he called.

Yuffie stopped, then turned to look at Vincent once more. "Oh, really?" she said coyly, "So let's hear you say it- who do you love?" Now that she was certain he wasn't obsessed over the brunette Shinra scientist, she wanted to hear it straight out loud, she wanted to hear him confess to her that he loved her. At least, she hoped he loved her. In either case, this was her way of getting the ex-Turk to admit defeat, whether or not he loved her.

"I..." Vincent stopped, feeling slightly awkward.

"Go on," Yuffie prompted, attitude ringing through her voice, making Vincent more embarrassed.

"I love you..." he muttered under his breath.

"What's that?" she said sarcastically, cupping her ear, "I can't hear you!" Her voice had tons of sly pleasure sewn into it, and her facial expression showed it as well.

"I love you," he repeated, louder, "I do. Don't make me regret saying that."

Yuffie smiled at Vincent, sincerity glowing from her. "I won't."

For a while, the two just stared at each other in silence as the waterfall roared. Vincent approached Yuffie, then reaching out with his Claw, he gently held Yuffie's right hand up to his lips and kissed her wrist gently.

Yuffie felt herself blushing. A kiss on the wrist was a gesture only Vincent would do. A gesture he'd only do if he meant it.

The girl smiled crookedly at Vincent, then reached up and caught his head, pulling him downward towards her face, kissing him. She stood on her toes to meet Vincent's enormous height, and Vincent wrapped his arms around her wet waist, embracing her tightly.

Her kiss was nothing like Lucrecia's. She was different from her- she was more feisty, more witty, more charming, more coy. Vincent admired her personality, the fact that it was so different from his, and the fact that he never would've imagined he'd fall for her.

But he did.

~*Finished*~