Like Fallen Angels Chapter 5: Nightmares, a final fantasy vii fanfic

The young man stood in front of the tall Shinra building, staring upwards. He was very tall, dressed in a dark blue suit that only accentuated his thin figure. His black hair hung in front of his emotionless face. His eyes were a soft brown, though they were icy cold. He shifted the pistol in his gloved hand, then put it in its holster. He came here everyday, but today was different. He had been promoted to the Turks just yesterday, and this was his first day at the job. Needless to say, he was a bit nervous.

Finally, he tore his gaze from the tall Shinra building and walked up the short steps to the glass doors in front. He nodded to the receptionist and strode quickly to the elevator. The Turk inserted his new keycard in the elevator, keycard 69. This huge building had 69 floors... He pressed the up button. Just as the doors were about to close, a young woman in a lab coat rushed into the building, hurrying towards the elevator. The Turk held the doors for her, then let them close, and the elevator started upwards.

The girl was much shorter than him, dressed in a long white labcoat. Even though she had her back turned to him, he could tell that she was quite beautiful. She was slender with long brown hair that was tied up in a high ponytail. She clasped a thick manila folder to her bosom. She, too, seemed a little nervous. They rode in silence for a while, the young man never taking his eyes off her. "Sorry," he said finally, not sure what he was apologizing for. "My name is Vincent."

The young woman glanced at him quickly, then looked away again. "You're a Turk, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes..." Vincent confirmed. "Today is my first day."

"Oh, mine too!" she exclaimed. She had such a beautiful voice. He just wished she would turn around so he could see her face. "As a scientist, that is. I was only a lab assistant before, but I got promoted just yesterday." Vincent nodded a little and was about to speak when the elevator stopped at the 65th floor. The doors opened and the girl hurried out, forgetting even to say goodbye. The doors closed and the Turk sighed. He'd have to get her name the next time he saw her... that is, if he would see her again.

The elevator stopped again at the 68th floor, the Turks' lounge, dinging pleasantly. Vincent stepped out, looking around hesitantly. There was a hallway ahead off him, past the little elevator area, all white tiled floors and dull silver walls, probably metal. He heard footsteps and another man rounded the corner and started down the hallway towards him. He was dressed exactly the same as Vincent, with the exception of a pair of sunglasses. When he reached the new Turk, the shorter man removed the sunglasses and put them in his breast pocket, revealing pale grey eyes. He studied Vincent, pushing back his dirty-blond hair from his face.

"You're the new Turk?" he asked. Vincent nodded. "Right. I'm Liam." He glanced past Vincent towards the elevator. "As soon as the other one gets here, I'll take you to see Chen, er, Mr. Chen." Vincent blinked, then nodded a little, asking no questions. A minute or so later, the other elevator dinged and a young woman stepped out. She was taller than the scientist he had met before, but still nowhere near his height. She wore the same navy blue suit and tie with the cut-off gloves. Her hair was a fiery red-brown, fairly short in the back, and longer in the front, so that it fell in front of her face. Her eyes were a bright green.

She grinned pleasantly. "I hope I didn't keep you gentlemen waiting." Her voice was louder than the scientist, and a bit rougher, too. She walked over to them and held out her hand. "I'm Talya." Vincent simply stared at her for a moment. She frowned and lowered her hand, turning to Liam. "Well? Aren't you gonna tell us what we're doing?"

"Right this way," Liam said after giving her the once over. He turned back down the hallway, leading them to the end, where they turned right, coming to a door. He opened it and they walked into an office. It wasn't particularly large, but it was well enough furnished. Yet another man in a suit was seated behind a cluttered desk. He stood as they entered. He was almost as tall as Vincent, but not quite, with short black hair and dark blue eyes. He eyed the two new Turks, then walked over to them.

"I'm Chen," he told them, his voice quite serious, "the leader of the Turks." He looked at the new Turks expectantly.

Vincent nodded a little. "Vincent Valentine, sir."

Chen raised an imperious eyebrow. "Valentine?"

"Yes, sir." He could see Talya smirking out of the corner of his eye. Why did everyone find his name so humorous?

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, sir, I'm not. That is my name." Chen regarded him a moment longer, then turned to Talya.

"Talya Keagan, sir," she replied, suppressing her smirk.

Chen nodded. "I'm assuming the both of you have some skill with a gun...?"

"Yes, sir," both new Turks replied at once.

"Good. Your first assignment won't be until tomorrow. For today, I'll let Liam brief you on what you shall be doing as members of the Turks." He gave them a stern look, then glanced at Liam. The Turk led them out of the office and back down the hall, showing them on a tour of the floor belonging to the Turks. There was, of course, a weapons room, where many, many different types of guns were kept, along with a few other weapons that no one used much. What caught his eye was a long rifle, at least three feet long, with a slender barrel. It had eight materia slots in it, the full eight... Death Penalty, he mused. What a strange name...

There was a small living area there as well: a kitchen with all the bare necessities, a table with several chairs, and a sofa with a coffee table. There was a fairly large television there as well. Apparently, this was where the Turks could spend their free time, or their lunch hour, if they had nowhere else to go.

The other room of interest on the 68th floor was a filing room. It contained files on anyone the Turks had ever been ordered to kidnap, murder, or steal from, and a few others besides. There were thousands of names, thick files, all neatly ordered in alphabetical order. For many of the people in the files, these were the only existing records of them. All other information had been erased, so their existence was completely forgotten. It was a chilling prospect, but it was indeed a part of what the Turks did. They were the ones who did Shinra's dirty work.

Many long hours later, after more than a few tiresome lectures on the rules and duties of being a Turk, Vincent finally headed back down the hall to the elevator. Talya was only a few steps behind him and they got into the elevator together. Vincent pressed the down button and gazed out the glass elevator at the dark sky outside. There were hardly any stars visible. With such a large city and the construction of three out of the planned eight Mako reactors, there were enough lights in Midgar to haze out practically all of the night sky. You could barely tell whether it was a clear night or whether it was clouded over anymore. There was no difference in Midgar.

"You're kinda cute, you know that?" Talya remarked after they had been on their way down for a while.

Vincent looked at her, blinking. "Hmm?"

"Oh come on, don't tell me nobody's ever told you that," she said. "You're tall, dark, and handsome and all." Vincent stared at her, not having a clue as to what she was talking about. Talya rolled her eyes, sighing a little, and gave up. The young Turk returned his gaze to the city beyond the glass. However, it seemed that Talya did not like the silence much, for after another couple minutes, she asked, "How old are you, anyway?"

"Twenty-four," he replied curtly, without looking at her.

"Ah. I'm twenty-two." He could see her make a face out of the corner of his eye, as though she didn't like the fact that he was older than her. "Vincent Valentine," she mused. "What a name. You ever get teased about it as a kid?" He nodded. Talya laughed. "Not surprising...... you're not much of a conversationalist, are you?"

"No," he agreed. A few moments later, the elevator reached the first floor and the doors opened, accompanied by that pleasant ding. Vincent stepped out after Talya and headed out the glass doors in the front. He then began his walk home to Sector 3. It was the newest sector, the reactor there having just been built, and he had found himself a relatively nice apartment there. The Sector 4 reactor was currently under construction, as well as the pillar that would hold up the upper plate. There were no stars visible from the city, and everything was illuminated in a sort of hazy glow. Midgar... it was much bigger than when he had been a child. It was a big city now, the largest on the Planet.

Curious, Aeris turned her gaze to the young scientist... She wanted to know the whole story. Vincent had been by far the quietest member of the group, and had kept to himself, barely speaking. Certainly she knew the short of the story after having heard him tell it to Sephiroth, but...

Lucrecia sat at a cluttered table on the 65th floor, the desk lamp turned on, a thick file opened in front of her. She finished the paper she was reading, and rubbed her tired eyes. It was late, and it had been a long day. Lately, she had become particularly interested in a specimen which Professor Gast had named 'Jenova.' He and a few of the other scientists had been running tests on it. They had only samples, of course, for the entire organism was still being excavated from some place near Snow Village.

She had been present for many of the tests. The Jenova specimen was approximately 2000 years old, yet it was still alive. That was the most amazing part of it. Gast was in the process of testing his hypothesis on whether or not it was an Ancient. In her spare time, Lucrecia had been finding all the information on the Ancients, or the Cetra, that she could. And now she was on the team of scientists that actually worked with the Jenova samples!

She smiled tiredly and slid a photo over to her. Jenova... Little more than the torso was uncovered, and the picture's quality wasn't particularly good, but it fascinated her all the same. It was like some alien creature... was this what the Ancients had looked like? Or was this simply what 2000 years trapped in ice had done to the organism?

But none of the scientists had near enough information to answer those questions. They didn't even know if Jenova was an Ancient. Lucrecia looked about the room. It was one of the smaller ones on the floor, off of the main hallway, apart from the lab that took up two floors. Several file cabinets sat against the walls, containing a part of the extensive library of specimen files Professor Gast owned. The drawer marked 'J' had been pulled open, the small(compared to the others) yet growing Jenova file was sitting on her table, opened. The rough stacks of papers were seperated just enough so that one document would not accidently get put in the wrong place. She wasn't exactly the neatest person, but she knew to what extent she had to go to keep things in order.

With a tired sigh, she leaned her head on her elbow and flipped to the next document about the Ancients. A theory on the extinction of the race, something about a disaster from the sky... Lucrecia was too tired to keep her mind on the words, and eventually she dropped off to sleep. Her hand slid out from under her slender chin, causing her head to fall to her table with a soft thud. She slept on, the little desk lamp illuminating the dim room as best it could.

A bony hand on her shoulder woke her up from her dreamless slumber. Lucrecia started a little, looking behind her to find Professor Hojo standing behind her. He had turned off the little desk lamp, but the brighter, flourescent lights had been turned on. It was morning. Hojo didn't look particularly angry, which was a good thing indeed. He had a way of loosing his temper at the slightest things.

Certainly, if you did nothing to upset him, he was good company. Often, when he found free time, Hojo would sit down with her and they would discuss the Jenova specimen and the Ancients, and many other a topic. Mostly, though, they kept to Jenova. He shared her interest in the organism, and it was always enlightening to talk with him.

Lucrecia managed to stifle a yawn and stood, scraping back her chair a little. She took a moment to straighten the papers on her desk, without much success. Then she turned to Hojo expectantly. He had woken her up for a reason.

"Come on," he said in his harsh voice. He wasn't being mean or insulting, it was just the way his voice sounded. Hard. "Professor Gast wants us to help him with an experiment." Lucrecia nodded and followed Hojo down the hall and into the laboratory...

It was early fall, and a cool breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees. The canopy was predominantly green still, but a few leaves had begun to turn color, some already at the peek golds and reds. The weather was beginning to turn decidedly cooler, but the two figures crouched in the cover of the little shrubs hardly noticed. They had more important matters to attend to.

It had been several months since he had first become a Turk, and Vincent had swiftly gained a deadly reputation. The aim he had with his gun was incredible; he could hit anything dead on. His skills went as far as his pistol would allow. He had taken part in numerous kidnapping and assasinating missions, filing documents away with all the cold emotionlessness of a killer. He was so cold outside and inside, he showed not the slightest pity for those who he killed, nor for the people who he took to President Shinra. To him, it was all part of the job. He was paid to do what he did, and for that, he would follow whatever order given him. There was no point in taking pity on those he murdered. He would have to do it anyway.

Now Vincent crouched down in the heavy cover of a thicket, gun held easily in his experienced grip, as casual as though it were an extention of himself. Chen was crouched beside him, his own gun set in its holster. He was only here as back-up. Vincent was the one who would be completing this mission.

"Now, your task is to kill the Shinra representative here," Chen informed him, keeping his voice low, barely above a whisper. His stern gaze was fixed on the Wutain village that lay ahead, past the cover of the trees and shrubbery.

Although he would follow the order no matter what the reason, Vincent had an accute curiosity for why he was killing a Shinra employee. He had never been assigned such a task. "Why would President Shinra want to kill one of his own employees?"

Chen did not bother to look at him. "The President sent someone who was disposable. He has a few agents working for him here that are to spread the rumor that one of the Wutains murdered the man. Shinra can easily blame the death on Wutai." Vincent's keen gaze remained questioningly on Chen's face. The leader of the Turks finally looked at him. "Increased tension will cause the people in Midgar to further depend Shinra's protection, which is exactly what the President wants."

Vincent nodded. It was simply put, he knew, but the political details were beyond his comprehension. He was a Turk, not a polititian. And he had work to do. He turned his gaze to the village. "What does the employee look like?" he inquired. Chen handed him a photograph. He scanned it, then nodded and tucked the picture away in his breast pocket.

"Wait until everyone has gone to sleep before you kill him. He's staying in the inn, room four on the second floor. After you're finished, head back to the helicopter immediately. I'll be waiting for you there." Chen did not mention the task of sneeking into the inn, and indeed there was no need. Vincent could get in without any trouble at all. They had snuck into heavily guarded facilities before without much difficulty. This was a minor inconvenience, and he wasted no time on it.

He heard Chen slip away but did not bother to watch him go. His trained hearing could detect the other Turk's soft footfalls as he made his way back through the forest towards the plot of land where they had landed the helicopter. Keeping his gaze trained on the unsuspecting village, Vincent patiently waited for night to fall.

Thoughts slipped quietly into his mind and he let them. If anyone came near him, he would hear them in time to conceal himself. As a Turk, he no longer spent as much time in the Shinra building as he used to, and when he was there, he was often occupied by filing documents on murdered and kidnapped vitims, who would cease to be remembered by anyone outside the highest order of Shinra officials. But when he did have free time, he refused to remain on the floor belonging to the Turks. Instead, he would take the elevator down to the general employee lounge.

Ever since the first day they had met in the elevator, her memory always clung to the back of his mind. He didn't even know her name. But in his mind, she needed none. He had seen her a few more times, glimpses. She always seemed to be trying to avoid him, for if she spotted him, she would hurry out of the room, trying to look as though she was off on some errand or another. There was something about the beautiful scientist that facinated him, and he knew it was not simply her appearance, though he knew quite well that that was enough to occupy the interest of many other men. For him, there was something simply in the way she moved...

Vincent shook his head. He would find out in due time, he told himself. There was no point in wasting his thoughts on someone he had barely even met. But what else was he supposed to occupy his time with? He had plenty of time to sit and wait before all the villagers had gone to sleep. It was early evening, and the sun had just begun to set. There was time enough to spare.

Her image floated back into his mind, though this time he was more interested in one of the files he had seen her carrying once. A fat folder with the word 'Jenova' neatly scrawled on the tab. He had heard of Jenova before, but he was lost as to what it was. It was something that Professor Gast was interested in, he knew, and apparently she was interested as well. Vincent would have to find out more about this Jenova thing. He had seen her carrying the same file more than a few times, and if he was to get to know her, he ought to at least have some knowledge of her interests.

He wondered how he was supposed to meet up with her to talk. He wanted to get to know her, but she kept avoiding him and leaving as soon as she saw him. Why? Perhaps it was because he was a Turk. He knew many other employees who were always edgy around him because of his reputation. But Vincent suspected that this was not the case with her. He could not comprehend, however, what other reason there could possibly be. So he let the matter drop and tried to think of something else.

After much wandering, his thoughts settled on the other members of the Turks. There was Chen, of course, the stern leader. He was always strict and to-the-point, never straying from the task at hand. In his free time though, Vincent had once seen a smile on the man's face, when he was watching Liam and Talya argue. He could enjoy himself, it seemed, but he was focused on his job and didn't have much time to let his emotions show through. He wasn't as bad as Vincent in the fact that he actually did take pity on their victims, but he sternly maintained himself.

Liam was much more casual, although he could get very serious during an important mission. He never joked when peoples lives were at stake, but he would do it off duty from time to time. He liked to have a good laugh every now and then, and had a fondness of sports. If there was some kind of game on TV, then Liam would most likely be watching it. He didn't talk too much, but he wasn't nearly as quiet as Vincent. He and Talya never seemed to get along well for some reason, and often got into arguments when placed together. Usually, they were never put on the same mission together, although they would call a truce if the occassion arose.

Talya was the most laid-back and easy-going in the group. Her attitude was quite open and she always seemed to be grinning about something, or, sometimes, nothing at all. She would joke and tease in all situations except the direst, and always managed to make things seem a lot less serious than they were. There were times when she was welcome company, but other times when she just tended to get annoying. She had a tendency to pry into places where she wasn't wanted. Indeed, Talya had teased him a few times about the young scientist, and held a constant amusement with his last name.

The sun had long since set by now, and the sky was dark, a scattering of stars appearing. More were coming out, twinkling into existance in the black sky above the rooftops. Vincent took a moment to wonder at them. Ever since the building of the first Mako reactors, the air above Midgar had been so hazy that it was impossible to discern even one star, let alone entire constellations. After several minutes of staring skyward, he returned his watchful gaze to the little village. There were more villages like it on the continant, to be certain, but this one was the one that currently housed the Shinra representative.

Vincent kept till in his hiding place. It was not yet time; there were still lights on. He waited there in a crouch behind the cover of the bushes and trees until finally the last candle was blown out. He waited a while longer, listening intently to the silence. Nothing stirred now, not even the rustling of the leaves overhead. The air was still, and the town was asleep. Almost. He knew that it would be another hour or so before everyone would be asleep, even with the lights out. So he waited, patiently.

Finally, the Turk moved from his position, carefully straightening and creeping slowly through the brush, careful not to make any sound. His keen eyes studied the dark village before him, keeping watch for any movement, any soul who might be wandering the streets at this late hour, even though the idea was quite rediculous. He crept silently to the inn, keeping to the shadows of houses and walls. He pressed himself against the side of the inn, studying it from his position. Room four was positioned directly above him, he knew. There was a window up there on the second floor, and it had been conveniently left open.

This mission was simply too easy, he thought to himself as he holstered his gun and took a grip on the drainpipe that ran up the side of the building. Upon reaching the second floor, he lept nimbly to the window ledge and peered in, taking his gun out with one hand while the other kept a firm grip on the open window. The bed was a short distance from the window, and moonlight illuminated his victim's face. It was indeed the employee that he was supposed to murder, and he aimed the gun at the man's head. A swift death, one shot. It was an easy target, a sleeping man in a bed, only a few short feet away from him. He pulled the trigger, not even flinching as the loud gunshot tore through the silence.

Without waiting for a response from the inhabitants of the inn, Vincent jumped up to the flat roof of the inn and crouched there for a moment before hurrying to the back of the building, keeping low. He climbed down the side using another drainpipe and quickly found himself some cover in the bushes, then made his way carefully back to the safety of the forest, not that he was ever in danger of being discovered. He could keep himself well-hidden in the scarcest of shelter. Without another fleeting thought on the murder he had just committed, Vincent strode swiftly and noiselessly back through the forest to the helicopter. He climbed in just as Chen started the chopper and they took off, flying back to Midgar, over the ocean.

They got back to the Shinra building when most of the employees were getting to work to start their day. Neither Turk had slept that night, and they were a bit tired, but Chen had work to do. He let Vincent have some off-duty time until noon, though, when he expected him to report to his office. Vincent nodded and watched as the leader of the Turks strode off down the street, intent on whatever purpose he had. Then he turned and walked up the steps to the huge Shinra building, through the glass doors, and past the receptionist.

He didn't want to spend the morning in the Turks' lounge, nor did he have any desire to wander the streets of Midgar. Instead, he had a different place in mind. He strode to the elevator, inserting his keycard and pressing the up button. He got off at the general employee lounge, with the slight hope that he'd see her there. Unfortunately, there were only the usual Shinra regulars sitting at the tables and drinking their morning cup of coffee. Vincent did, however, see a scientist there, and decided to ask him about 'Jenova.' Now was as good a time as any.

About half an hour later, after he had a basic grasp of what Jenova was, the scientist politely excused himself, saying that he had to get back to work. So Jenova was an Ancient... no wonder she had taken such interest in it. Even the Turk found it intruiging. And the fact that it had survived for 2000 years, trapped in ice. He shook his head and blinked, standing up and looking around.

It was then that she stepped off the elevator. She didn't seem to notice him and began walking casually over towards one of the tables. He had never really got the chance to look at her very closely before. She wore a long white lab coat over her slight figure, as always, and held a manilla folder in one arm. As she sat down at an empty table, she reached up to brush a stray hair from her face with long, delicate fingers. Her soft brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail, hanging down to her small waist, though a few locks of wavy hair framed her lovely face.

Vincent began walking closer until he was only one table away, then paused to study her further. A pair of rose tear-drop earrings dangled from her ears, a matching necklace around her slender neck. Her face was smooth, free of make-up-she did not need it-her cheeks slightly rosy. What enchanted him most were her beautiful blue-green eyes, so full of energy and kindness. The woman's gaze met his and he gave a little start, blushing slightly.

Before she could get up, Vincent had strode over to her table and was looking down at her, still looking into her beautiful eyes. "Do you mind if I sit down?" he asked. After a slight hesitation, she shook her head. Vincent took the chair opposite her and finally tore his gaze from her face to look around the room a little. "You never told me your name," he remarked after a moment.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "My name is Lucrecia." Lucrecia, he thought to himself. What a beautiful name... He shook his head a little and smiled slightly at her. Vincent still felt tired, and if must've showed a little, for after a moment, she commented, "You look tired. Did you sleep well?"

Vincent shook his head. "I had a job that kept me up all night," he told her. "I didn't get a chance to sleep."

"Oh..." She sounded as though she was wondering exactly what the job was. Everyone knew what the Turks did, and the thought of it was probably enough to send a shudder down someone's spine.

"What about you?" Vincent asked to change the subject. "What have you been doing with your new job?"

"Oh," Lucrecia said, brightening, "I've been helping Professor Gast and Hojo with the Jenova specimen. We've been running all sorts of tests on it, and Gast says that they're going to give us a lab for it in some out-of-the-way place so we don't have to be bothered." She paused, then added, "And the excavation is complete, so we can finally have the entire specimen instead of just samples." Vincent nodded, but wasn't entirely sure what to say to this. Lucrecia peered at him. "You do know what Jenova is, don't you?"

"Yes... I heard that it was an Ancient found somewhere up north, near Snow Village," Vincent replied.

The scientist nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. The amazing thing is that it's still alive. I can't wait until I get to see it. The photos aren't the best quality..." She chatted on for a long while, Vincent commenting or asking a question every now and then, until she glanced at the clock on the wall, giving a little start. "Oh my. It seems I've lost track of the time..." She stood quickly, a worried look forming on her face. "I had better be on my way before the Professor comes looking for me." She smiled at Vincent as he stood up. "I'll talk with you again sometime, Vincent."

"Goodbye, Lucrecia," he said, a small smile on his face; a surprising thing, for he rarely smiled.

"Bye," she said, taking up the folder on the table and hurrying to the elevator to go back up to the lab. Vincent stared after her, in a bit of a transe, the smile still on his face. He gave a start when someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, Valentine," came Talya's teasing voice, "that your girlfriend there?"

Vincent whirled around, giving her an indignant look. "I just met her, Talya," he said sternly, the smile disappearing and his face returning to its cold visage. "What are you doing down here anyway? Don't you have work to do?"

"Touchy, touchy, lover-boy," she grinned. "I have off too, sometimes, or didn't you know?" Vincent sighed. She had found something she wanted to tease him about, and probably wasn't going to give up until she got the response she wanted. She was like that sometimes. "So when are you going to ask her out?" Vincent cast her a warning glance, saying nothing. "Oh, come on, you were practically falling all over yourself because of her. Hanging off her every word, though what she was saying to you I have no idea."

"It's good to know that you haven't sunken to eavesdropping yet," Vincent commented.

"That was a bit harsh. But you just killed an innocent man in cold blood, Valentine. When are you gonna tell her about that, hmm?"

"It's no secret that I'm a Turk," he stated. "She already knows what I do."

"Oh, so she likes killers does she? I wanna find me a scientist then. D'you think that Professor Gast is cute at all? Or are you always too busy staring at her when you visit the laboratory?" Talya was indeed persistant...

"I don't visit the laboratory."

"Oh, you don't? Is that why you two always come here instead?"

Vincent sighed again in exasperation. "Go bother someone else, Talya." He didn't give her any time to retaliate, but just walked swiftly away without saying another word. On another day, Talya might have given pursuit, but today she just laughed and sat herself down, ordering a cup of coffee as she took out a cigarette.

Vincent spent the rest of his time in the Turks lounge before reporting for work at noon, when he was given files on the Shinra employee to put away, and a list of people to inform of his death at the hands of Wutain assassins. It was an easy enough task, one that he was used to, for it usually came after a murder...

He sat crouched against the slope of the hill, in foot-deep snow, the cold wind stinging as it hit his face. His white cloak did little good against the freezing air-he had it merely for camoflouge. Vincent held his gun in a ready position, but he was nowhere near ready to use it. He peered cautiously over the snowy rise, quickly scanning the situation before ducking down again.

It had been one week since his mission in Wutai, only a day since he and two of the other Turks had arrived here. It felt like an eternity. When they had arrived, they had been informed hurriedly of the situation: Professor Gast and his team of scientists had come up to this desolate place to oversee the transportation of the Jenova specimen to Nibelheim. Just as they were leaving, some terrorists ambushed them and they had been held captive. The terrorists seemed to come out of nowhere, but they claimed that the Jenova specimen was dangerous. They would release the scientists only after Shinra agreed to terminate the project, as well as refreeze the organism and bury it deep underground where no one would ever think to find it again. Shinra would do no such thing, however, as terminate this project. Instead, they sent their Turks to deal with it.

There were three scientists being held captive, under such guard so that if any attempt was made to rescue them, they would immediately be killed. Of course, there was only one guard for each scientist, so in theory, they could be saved by a direct shot to the heads of the terrorists. In theory. Of course, there was always the possibility that the man might have enough time or reflex to pull the trigger before going down. Moreover, there were others besides the scientists-excavators from Bone Village, a handful of Shinra regulars. President Shinra would not be pleased if all they managed to save were three scientists out of seventeen people.

Another means of rescue would have to be thought of... Perhaps if a gap could be found in their guard... but what kind of gap? The guards and their hostages all kept fairly close together, out in the open so that Shinra would know their employees were alive, all ready, poised for action, switching off every couple of hours. The rest of the large group remained in a camp quite close to the others. If something happened to one member of the group, the others would know immediately. So picking them off one by one was not an option.

If, however, they could capture one of them... They might be able to negotiate the safe return of at least one hostage. That plan would only save the lives of one, perhaps two at the most. Unless more than one could be captured, that approach was virtually useless.

Vincent shifted, lifting his head once more to scan the camp, his eye catching this time on one of the scientists. He hadn't even noticed her there before... Lucrecia... she was a hostage. He stared for a moment of disbelief, then quickly ducked his head down lest he be spotted. Even with the hood up, his black hair still showed through, in great contrast to the snow. But if Lucrecia was out there... if she was harmed, he would never forgive himself.

Catching them offguard might do the trick. They could sneek into the camp at night and take several hostages at a time. Of course, doing that would cause a stand-off... Negotiation would be difficult... There were so many things that could go wrong... He didn't normally worry about these things, was known for approaching bad situations with a cool head, but... this time Lucrecia was involved. He had to at least save her, but Professor Gast was the company's first priority.

A thought occured to him then: what if they did rescue Professor Gast while keeping the other hostages alive? Then, the terrorists would have lost a main part of their leverage. The Jenova specimen was far enough from the camp, with very few guarding it. They could easily be picked off, and then there would no longer be any reason to hold the other hostages. Professor Gast would have his specimen, and he would be able to continue his work, with or without the others. Perhaps then, then they might see reason and release the others. And, the final thought came, he could always use materia and potions...

A plan forming in his mind, Vincent turned away from the hillside and krept back down, heading towards Snow Village. He was numb now, barely even aware of the gun in his hand. He stuck it in its holster, then pulled the cloak tight about him, hoping that it would give him at least some warmth. It didn't. He came in sight of the little town and quickened his pace, as near to a run as he could make in the deep snow. Vincent burst into the inn, stamping the snow from his boots and tugging off the white coat with numb hands. He hung it up on a peg in the wall and went off down the hall to the room the Turks accomadated.

Feeling was beginning to return to his numbed fingers as he stepped into the room. Talya was seated on one of the three beds while Liam leaned against the wall. Both turned to look up at him immediatly, sensing his presence rather than hearing him as he entered. Vincent nodded slightly. "I have a plan..." he informed them. The other two Turks listened intently as he carefully laid out how they were to go about rescuing the Shinra employees. Meanwhile, he prayed silently that it would work, and that Lucrecia would be alright.

Giving her captor a stubborn glare, Lucrecia tugged her heavy cloak tighter about her and sat down in the snow. Standing was getting to be too tiring, and she knew she couldn't keep it up for much longer, so she simply sat down. The ground was freezing, and she could feel the cold begin to seep through the coat, even though it was very thick. They had been standing there for almost two days, and their captors refused to take them inside any kind of shelter. Fortunately, it hadn't snowed yet, and their cloaks provided enough warmth for them to ignore the cold, though they weren't exactly very comfortable.

She glanced above her at the other captives, seeing a few of them follow her example. Hojo and Gast, the only two that she knew by name, remained standing. She could tell by the look on Hojo's face that he was just barely keeping his temper in check. If he didn't, they might kill him, which was the only reason he didn't errupt into outright anger. Gast, in contrast, appeared quite calm, his brown eyes surveying the surrounding people, probably checking to make sure everyone was alright.

Lucrecia turned her eyes downward to stare idly at her boots. She knew that President Shinra would be quick to act. In fact, he had probably already sent the Turks and they had likely already come up with a plan... She wondered if it would be Vincent's plan, wondered whether he knew she was one of those being held captive. She had heard rumors of him from other people, employees who stated that he never smiled and carried out his missions with deadly efficiency.

But she had seen otherwise in him. There was something beneath the cold, emotionless exterior that he showed to everyone. Lucrecia had seen him smile. He smiled for her, and when he spoke to her, she could tell that he was enjoying every moment of the conversation. It differed so greatly from what she had heard. Vincent didn't seem cold at all to her, and it was almost impossible to think of him as a cold-hearted Turk. But that was what he was, apparently. She smiled slightly. She had every hope that he would come to rescue her any second.

Shinra would have other priorities, of course. His orders would have been to rescue Gast above all others, Hojo second, and she herself would be third on the list. Lucrecia wondered if that mattered to Vincent. With the way he acted around her, there was the possibility that he would ignore the orders and put her before the others. Unless Chen was here, in which case Vincent would not be in charge. In a way, she hoped that the leader of the Turks wasn't there, so that Vincent could claim credit for rescuing them. He was her friend, afterall...

The sky was darkening, the clouds to the west having a slight reddish glow. She could not see the actual sunset, because the sky was so overcast, but she could easily tell that the sun was setting. A while longer, and everything had been dimmed to shades of grey, even the snow that had been so blindingly bright during the day. Lucrecia felt herself leaning towards sleep. She had been awake for a straight two days, on her feet for most of the time. Still, she refused to sleep just yet. She would not be the first to fall asleep... she would not be the weakest.

A loud shot rang through the air, closely followed by two more, causing her to sheild her ears. The man who had been standing guard by her crumpled to the ground. The scientist's eyes widened and she crawled over to him, freezing in horror at the blankness of his stare. She had never seen a man die before. Someone grabbed her arm and roughly yanked her to her feet, pressing a cold gunbarrel to her head. Lucrecia did not try to struggle, and after a moment, she took a deep breath, realizing that she hadn't been breathing.

But the terrorist did not pull the trigger. By the way the gun was trembling, it seemed he was afraid to. Still, Lucrecia dared not move, eyes wildly searching the darkness for any sign of movement. Another couple shots pierced through the frightened silence, and she winced, half-thinking that the terrorist had pulled the trigger on her. Instead, the gun dropped from his limp hand and he fell dead, just like the other man.

The young scientist took a few steps away from the carcass, casting frantic glances around her at the others. There were many other dead men on the ground; each of the previous shots had struck its target. The remaining rebels were either clinging to their hostages, or frantically searching the darkness for any signs of their attackers. Either way, there was something about them that seemed oddly... sluggish. Nothing came out of the shadows but more of the deadly bullets. One more man made an attempt to seize her, but he fell dead as soon as his hand touched her arm. She drew back, clutching her cloak about herself and staring down at him.

Soon enough, the last handful of terrorists stepped back from their hostages, throwing down their weapons and putting their hands up in the air, surrendering to their unknown foes. Lucrecia looked from the pitiful group to a tall figure emerging from the shadows behind one of the camp tents. She did not need to see his face to recognise him as Vincent. Two other, shorter figures, stood up, coming out of their shelters, the shortest actually from inside on of the tents. They must have secretly killed the men inside the camp before hiding and attacking. But why would they have done anything so reckless? Someone might have gotten killed! Besides the terrorists, she added with a grimace.

The two shorter Turks retrieved the rebels' weapons, while Vincent walked towards her. When he came close enough, she could see his brown eyes-they were cold, emotionless. She quailed from that gaze. He holstered the gun and laid a hand on her trembling shoulder, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "Are you alright?" he asked gently. Lucrecia gulped, almost jerking away, then managed a nod, her eyes still wide from fear and astonishment left over from the attack. She calmed herself and studied him for a moment, wondering how he could change his emotions so quickly. Only a second ago, those concerned brown eyes had been icy cold...

Another figure made its way over to the pair, shouting angrily, "What the hell were you trying to do? Do you have any idea how risky that was!?" Lucrecia quickly identified the outraged voice of Hojo, and soon he was standing near them, poking an accusing finger at Vincent. "Well? What have you got to say for yourself!?"

Vincent blinked, his face again becoming calm and almost devoid of emotion. "All those men were poisoned," he replied simply. Glancing at the group of captured terrorists, he added, "Not fatally, of course, but enough to slow their reactions." Hojo stared at him, then hmphed loudly and stalked off to find someone else to vent his anger on.

Lucrecia relaxed a little, then stifled a yawn with a slender hand. She turned to Vincent, a bit wearily. "You were the one protecting me... weren't you?" He nodded, and she thought she could make out a bit of color in his cheeks, though it was hard to tell in the darkness. She tried to smile, and managed a little bit. "Thank you," she said.

The tall Turk shrugged it off. "I was just doing my job..."

Lucrecia's smile faded and she studied him carefully, pondering whether or not that was the truth. Perhaps it was, in part, but she suspected that he would have done the same even if he hadn't been ordered to. She rubbed at her tired eyes. "Is there any place where I can get some sleep? I'm tired..." Vincent nodded and, with a glance back at the others, turned to walk up the hill. As he past her, she thought she felt his hand brush against hers. With a soft smile, she followed him through the deep snow and back to the inn, where she promptly collapsed on whatever bed he led her to and fell asleep.

Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up, looking around. The room was small with only the one bed and a nightstand. Lucrecia pushed back the blanket and slid out of the bed, having no reason to stay in the room any longer. A quick glance out the window told her that it was snowing heavily and she paused for a moment before putting on her boots, which she realized Vincent must have taken off after she had fallen asleep, and walking out the door.

He was waiting outside the room for her, and a faint smile crossed his handsome face upon seeing her. Lucrecia brushed a strand of errant hair from her face and smiled warmly back at him. No matter her doubts, Vincent had saved her life. She felt as though she hadn't thanked him sufficiently, though... She took a few steps forward to him and stood on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and a murmered

'thank you' before turning and hurrying off down the hall before he saw the blush spreading across her face. What had she done that for? She wasn't quite sure... it had been on impulse.

Lucrecia stopped in the lobby, where she found Professor Gast and Hojo there waiting for her. The Professor smiled absentmindedly upon seeing her and said as she joined them, "As soon as the snow stops, we're leaving for Midgar."

"What about Nibelheim?" Lucrecia asked.

"They have to prepare the lab there before we go, otherwise there would be no point in us going there just yet," Gast explained.

"Where are the other Turks?" she inquired out of curiosity. She had only seen Vincent this morning, and she was certain that they would not leave without him. As if on cue, she heard faint footsteps coming down the hall and turned to see the three Turks walk into the lobby. Vincent was leading, Liam and Talya walking behind, speaking in muted tones, although they didn't sound entirely friendly. Vincent remained silent and expressionless as he usually was with anyone but her. She couldn't quite understand why. Perhaps she should ask him.

Lucrecia glanced at Hojo out of the corner of her eye. The man was muttering under his breath-he had a strong dislike for the Turks. She frowned slightly and turned her attention back to the Turks. Vincent merely glanced at the two other scientists, avoiding her gaze, and strode calmly to the window. Liam and Talya, of whom she only knew names, gave the group the once-over before glaring at eachother and wandering over to seperate corners of the room.

The young scientist paused, then walked slowly over to join Vincent at the window, cheeks coloring slightly as she remembered that only a few minutes ago, she had kissed him. She watched the snow fall for a moment, then lifted her gaze to the stoic Turk. "Vincent," she said, making sure she was speaking too softly for any other than him to hear, "are you alright?"

He looked down at her, nodding slightly, then quickly turning to look back out the window. She could still see him blushing, though, and she smiled a little, somewhat relieved. After another long moment, she spoke again. "I'm not entirely sure what I was doing... but I do know that I meant it." She felt her cheeks burn and she looked out the window. She couldn't believe that she had just said that. What, did she have a crush on him? No, no, it couldn't be that! He was just her friend... wasn't he? Then why are you getting so nervous when you're near him?

She felt the Turk's thoughtful gaze on her, and after a slight hesitation, she turned to look at him again. His expression had softened and now he smiled at her. His back was turned to the others, or else she was certain he wouldn't have. Lucrecia grinned, then walked over to join the other two scientists, resisting the sudden urge to kiss him again. Gods, what was she thinking?

They stood there in a group for a moment, not speaking, before Hojo motioned for her to come with him. He turned and walked out the front door, letting a cold gust of air blow in. Lucrecia hesitated, then followed, snatching her coat off a hook on the wall. Hojo was waiting just outside the door, beneath the overhang of the roof. Lucrecia looked at him questioningly and waited for him to speak first.

"...I've heard that you're friends with that tall Turk-"

"Vincent," Lucrecia put in.

"...yes, well..." he said, eyeing her carefully. "I haven't heard good things about him. They say he's one of the best Turks there's ever been... a deadly killer..."

Lucrecia studied him for a moment. "I don't think I see your point."

"It makes me wonder how he can make friends at all... let alone why you like him," Hojo said rather sullenly.

"He's not always so... cold," she defended. "Contrary to belief, he does smile."

Hojo frowned, suspicion slipping into his voice. "Just how good of a friend are you?"

"...no more than a friend," she replied carefully. She wasn't quite certain if this was true at the moment. She still couldn't believe that she had kissed Vincent on the cheek! What had possessed her to do such a thing?

The moody scientist nodded slowly, then asked, "Is that what you say about me?"

Lucrecia was a bit startled by the question, but quickly regained her composure. "I've never been asked... but I would say the same about you, although I have known you a bit longer than Vincent."

He nodded again, then glanced aside to the snow. It was slackening off, and would likely stop soon. Hojo turned to walk back inside without saying another word. Lucrecia stayed outside to watch the snow for a little while longer before returning to the warmth of the inn. She didn't bother to hang up her coat again, assuming that they would soon be leaving for Midgar. She cast a glance over at Vincent, then looked at Hojo, who was glaring at the Turk. Lucrecia sighed and shook her head, wandering back over to stand near Professor Gast.

Vincent said nothing as the black car pulled up to the little town. He paused, then opened the door, stepping out and stretching his legs. He lifted a hand to brush the strands of hair from his expressionless face and looked around.

The little town held a certain hushed anticipation, looking as though all the townspeople had gone inside their homes and locked the doors. Indeed, there was no one in the streets save a tiny grey cat, though he could see a few faces watching cautiously, fearfully, from the windows. The houses were small, made of neatly cut wood, mostly left unpainted. A tall wooden well dominated the center of the town. The street was paved with a grey-brown stone, a short white fence lining the entryway, one tall, yet simple arch marked the gate to Nibelheim. The sun hung low in the western sky, and though it was not yet sunset, it was low enough to cast grey shadows across the empty streets.

He heard a car door slam behind him, glanced over to see another, older man walk around the car. He was not quite as tall as Vincent, and wore a long white labcoat over a pair of grey pants and a neat shirt. His dark brown hair was cut short, parted down the middle, exposing a smooth forehead and hazel eyes. The young man recognized him immediately as Professor Gast. A regular Shinra soldier got out of the car right behind the scientist, gun resting casually on his shoulder, head turning this way and that, apparently studying the village, although it was hard to tell with a mask on.

Another car pulled up next to the one the three had just climbed out of, and another scientist immediately opened up the door and stepped out, apparently in the middle of an argument. "-don't see why they have to send that Turk with us!" he was saying. On seeing the young man in the suit, he stopped speaking, looking him up and down with a pair of glaring black eyes. The man had a high, sloping forehead with long black hair that was tied back in a thin ponytail, a few strands dangling in front of his narrow face. He was scrawny, not particularly tall, and apparently had some difficulty controlling his temper. Vincent had seen him several times before, but had never caught the man's name, although he suspected that he was Hojo, whom Lucrecia had mentioned several times before.

His attention was averted towards a young lady as she stepped out of the back seat of the car, face a bit flushed-she must have born the brunt of the man's anger. She nervously smoothed her labcoat with a slender hand and shut the door. Lucrecia smiled briefly at him, then turned to walk from the car, her eyes moving to study the town.

The Turk managed to tear his gaze away from her and followed the three scientists along the street, walking slowly, with long strides. The two soldiers trailed after them. They walked to the end of the street where a large mansion sat. It didn't quite fit in with the small town, looking too gothic and elaborate for Nibelheim. But it was there none-the-less. Professor Gast pushed open the gate and walked along the little stone path that led to the door. The other two scientists followed him inside, but the Turk paused in the middle of the path, turning to look up at the clear blue sky. He sensed something oddly foreboding about this place... Vincent shook his head and followed the scientists inside, closing the door behind them, leaving the two Shinra soldiers to watch the door.

Once inside, he noticed that Lucrecia had paused at the foot of the grand staircase to wait for him. Vincent looked around the room briefly, noting the high ceiling and the great chandelier that hung from it. A large oriental rug carpeted the center of the wooden floor, and several doors led off into seperate rooms and hallways. He soon found himself looking back at Lucrecia. Her presence, her very memory stirred something inside of him. It was a feeling that he had never felt before in his entire life, a soft aching in his chest...

Not wanting to keep her waiting any longer, the Turk strode quickly over to the stairs and started up them as she fell into step beside him, a soft smile on her face. He kept his gaze ahead of him so that it would not appear as though he was gawking, but he could still see her out of the corner of his eye. The memory came back to him of the day she had kissed him. The feel of her warm lips soft against his cheek, the color in her beautiful face as she hurried away from him, the burning of his own cheeks...

His thoughts kept straying from the matter at hand. They came to a bedroom in the upstairs level, a dead-end at first glance. After only a moment's search, however, he noticed the convex curving of the grey stone door in the corner of the room. The door was fitted perfectly so that it was almost impossible to see in the wall. He walked over and pushed it open, holding it for Lucrecia as she walked past him with a nod, heading down the spiral staircase that led to the basement. Vincent followed her on silent feet, looking about him. The chamber was large and circular with stone walls, like a tower that went below the ground instead of above it. The steps creeked slightly, without even having someone put their weight on them, and the sound echoed eerily around the dimly lit stairwell.

Upon reaching the stone floor at the bottom, the lighting grew considerably better, Mako-powered lamps lining the stone walls of a high-ceilinged tunnel. Lucrecia had quickened her pace to join the other two scientists at the end of the hall. Vincent followed slowly, taking his time. He glanced to his left, noticing a closed door in the wall. It was tightly shut, but not locked, and he decided that he would investigate later.

He entered the room at the end of the hall, seeing immediately that it was a library as well as a laboratory, although many of the shelves in the first room were empty. There was a narrow hallway lined with books that led to a circular study. The laboratory held a desk that would most likely be used for experiments, several shelves of potions, samples, and substances, and two large glass cylindars full of dully glowing Mako. The room was illuminated by a pair of bright desk lamps and a chandelier above the desk.

The three scientists were moving about the room, inspecting one thing or another to see that it was satisfactory, moving some things around, and generally ignoring him. Even Lucrecia, who seemed somehow overwhelmed by the place. After several minutes, she wandered over to one of the bookshelves and took down a book, leafing through the pages. Vincent stood in the doorway, watching her, glancing at Gast and the other scientist from time to time, but mainly focusing on Lucrecia.

He found his thoughts again sliding back to her kiss. The warmth against his cheek, the swelling in his heart... what was that feeling? It had now subsided to a dull ache, a longing... and the longer he gazed upon her lovely face, the stronger it seemed to grow. But what was it? He had never felt anything like it, never felt anything really. The only emotions he knew were mild annoyance, impatience, and dull anger. Nothing strong like this was... And this feeling, whatever it was, had a certain quality to it, something wonderful...

Abruptly Vincent became aware that Lucrecia had looked up from her book and was meeting his gaze, a faint blush to her cheeks. He quickly looked away, towards Gast, trying to pretend as though he had only been glancing. But he felt his face grow hot, giving him away. He stole a glance at her out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was still looking at him, a faint smile on her lips, her eyes laughing gently. She turned back to her book, but the smile never left her face.

After several hours of getting settled into the lab, Professor Gast proposed that they all get some sleep; they would head up to the reactor the next morning to take a look at Jenova. He turned to the silent Turk. "Have our luggage brought in from the cars," he said. It was an order, but his gentle voice didn't quite manage to make it sound like one. Vincent nodded and turned to walk back along the tunnel and up the spiral staircase. He could hear the footsteps of the three scientists behind him, but his own feet were silent. He had always been skilled, but the months of training as a Turk had perfected his abilities. Indeed, the term 'cat-like' would hardly seem to do him justice.

Once outside again, he instructed the two soldiers to bring the luggage inside, then waited by the door for a few minutes, looking up at the sky. It was dark now, though a faint light was discernable to the west, where the sun had set perhaps an hour ago. A handful of stars already dotted the sky, and Vincent could not help but stare. One could become all too used to Midgar's dark blue-green haze. He wondered if those who saw the stars each night paid them any mind.

He turned back inside and went upstairs to check on the scientists, make sure there was nothing else they needed before he himself retired for the night. Gast had taken the larger room on the left wing of the mansion, while Hojo-he had heard the man's name mentioned in the basement-and Lucrecia had taken seperate rooms on the right wing. Professor Gast dismissed the Turk, bidding him goodnight, so Vincent turned to the right wing. He checked on the other scientist, Hojo, but left quickly upon recieving an angry glare from him.

Finally, he knocked softly at Lucrecia's half-open door, more to gain her attention than her permission to enter. She looked up from where she stood packing her belongings away in a dresser, then smiled. "Hello, Vincent," she greeted quietly. "I hope you didn't get too bored in the basement..." He shook his head. She stood there for a moment, studying him, then smoothed her labcoat, saying, "I know it's been a long day, but do you mind coming outside with me for a little while?"

"Not at all," he replied. Her smile broadened and she brushed past him, leading the way back out of the darkened mansion. Most of the lights had been turned off save for those in the bedrooms. Vincent paused to flick the lightswitch off before following Lucrecia outside. This time, he did not think to look at the sky. His brown eyes remained on Lucrecia's face. In the pale starlight, she looked even more beautiful than ever, her bright eyes almost seeming to glow.

He walked beside her along the street, barely paying any attention to where they were going. They reached the gate to the village and he felt her warm hand slip into his. He grasped it firmly and she glanced up at him with a gentile smile. They had turned off to the side of the road and were walking along soft grass behind the first house. A few rocks lay scattered here and there, pale and shadowed all the same. Lucrecia stopped here, turning to face Vincent. He did not let go of her hand, and she did not seem to mind. They stood there in silence for a while, neither wanting to interupt the peaceful quiet of night just yet.

Finally, Lucrecia gestured with her left hand towards the sky, turning slightly away to look herself. "Aren't they beautiful?" she asked.

Vincent followed her gesture, then nodded in agreement. "...you don't see stars often in Midgar."

"No... It's always nice to get out of the city. I love looking up and seeing the sky all dotted with stars. They're so bright and peaceful..."

Vincent turned his eyes away from the stars to look upon her face once more. To him, there was nothing more beautiful than her. The twinkling heavens were dull in comparison. Lucrecia turned to look up at him, and he found himself realizing how close she was to him. He almost pulled back, but stopped himself. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, the feeling swelling in him as a smile spread across his face, his eyes, normally so cold, glowed with warmth. Without knowing quite what he was doing, he leaned down, bringing his face very close to hers, pausing to gaze into her eyes. Then he closed his eyes and brought his lips against hers as his free hand moved to pull her closer to him.

His senses were flooded with the warmth of the moment, and there was only Lucrecia and himself. It was as though all time had stopped for them, to watch the pair as they embraced. Vincent finally began to pull away, slowly, not wishing for the moment to end, but knowing that it must. His heart felt full of joy as he opened his eyes and looked into the pair of loving, blue-green eyes so close to his own. Even in the dim light of the stars, he could see the blush spread across her beautiful face, and knew that he must look just the same. He didn't care.

That one precious moment was one that he would treasure all his life, and he knew now what that feeling was. He loved her. Vincent straightened slightly and pulled her against him, feeling her head nestled against his chest. He felt a deep contentment as they stood there together. Time passed by slowly until finally Lucrecia stirred and took a step away from him, letting go of his hand and smoothing her labcoat once more.

"...we should be getting back now," she said quietly, regretfully. Vincent nodded. "I'd love to stay out here, but..."

"I understand."

Lucrecia smiled. "I'm glad." She took his hand again and they began walking back to the mansion. They paused at the door, and she let go of his hand.

"...why did you ask me to come out here?" Vincent asked softly.

She shook her head minutely. "I'm not sure... I just... wanted to..." She smiled sheepishly and turned to walk into the mansion as he opened the door for her. He watched as she climbed the staircase, casting him another smile over her shoulder before disapearing into her room. Then Vincent turned to his own room on the first floor, the one just to the right of the entrance. He kicked off his shoes and lay back on top of the covers, falling asleep almost immediately, his dreams filled with images of Lucrecia...

Lucrecia slipped her labcoat on over her head, grabbed a manilla folder that was filled mostly with blank paper, and opened the door to her room, walking out. Colored light shown through the stained-glass windows near the stairwell and onto the floorboards. She looked down, seeing that Vincent and Hojo were already there in the entryway, waiting for her and Professor Gast. The Turk was standing against the wall near the door, while the scientist paced back and forth across the rug-two contrasting moods of calm and impatience.

She smiled briefly at each of them, her eyes lingering on Vincent for a moment before the sound of footsteps behind her caused her to turn around. Professor Gast had come out of his room and was walking down the steps. "Good morning, Professor," she greeted.

"Good morning," he replied with a distant smile before turning to Vincent. "You said you knew the way to the Mako Reactor... lead on." Vincent nodded silently and turned out the door. Lucrecia frowned slightly, wishing he wouldn't be so cold, then followed him. Hojo fell into step a few paces behind her, and she could hear him muttering something under his breath. Probably about Vincent... She glanced over her shoulder to see Gast walking along beside Hojo, giving the man a distainful frown. Hojo glanced at him, then fell silent. Lucrecia shook her head and turned her gaze to the way ahead of her.

Vincent had led them past the mansion and they were walking in a shadowed valley where sparse patches of grass grew. On either side of them stood tall, rocky mountains dotted with shrubs and twisted trees whose leaves were a mixture of gold, deep green, and brown. Mount Nibel loomed up ahead, its peak high and bare, strange, blue-ish rock spires twisting upwards. It felt cool and damp in the shadow of the mountain peak, and Lucrecia rubbed at her arms, wishing she had brought a heavier coat than just the white labcoat that she always wore.

Finally they reached the foot of the mountain where the ground turned rocky and dropped off to a deep crevace. One snaking path wound upwards, disapearing into the peaks high above. This was where Vincent led them, his pace never slowing or faltering, never looking back to make sure they were following. She supposed that he could hear them following. He was a Turk, afterall... and she had noticed how he himself moved without a sound. It was a bit disconcerting at first, but she had gotten used to it.

The path became steeper, but still Vincent did not slow his pace, easily climbing up the rocky trail. Lucrecia practically ran to keep up with him, and she could hear the other two scientists laboring behind her, though she seemed to be having the most trouble, being the shortest. Finally the way leveled out again, but she could see a break in the path where the rock dropped away, then curved up again. Vincent lept down easily, disapearing from her view for a moment, but he did not come out. She reached the edge to find him waiting to help her down.

Lucrecia smiled a little and started lowering herself down from the ledge. She slipped halfway and dropped into Vincent's waiting arms. She blushed, smiling at him, noticing some color in his face, and a softness in his eyes. Then he lowered her to the ground and looked up as Gast and Hojo appeared at the ledge. Hojo climbed down, letting go of the rock when he came close enough to the ground and stumbling slightly upon landing. Professor Gast followed his example, and Vincent turned to lead them along the path again.

They came to a rope bridge, and Lucrecia paused, watching as Vincent made his way across before starting herself. The bridge didn't look particularly stable, and she wasn't about to try and find out how much weight it could hold. She walked across slowly, being sure of her footing and keeping a tight grip on the railing. She waited with Vincent while Hojo and Gast crossed the casm, then turned to follow the Turk along the trail, through some oddly-colored caves, and then out onto the wide, flat rock ledge that held the Mako reactor.

She had never seen one up close, only from a distance, looking out the window of the Shinra building. The reactor was huge, all shining metal with a set of stairs leading up to the front. Shinra, Inc.'s red logo was set boldly on the front of the reactor, a symbol of power and control... She followed Vincent up the steps, vaguely aware of the dull metal clunk of her feet on the stairs.

Inside the reactor, the loud sounds of gears turning and machinary working filled her ears. The air was thick and smoky, the chamber illuminated by a dim red-tinted light. She followed the Turk down some chains that served as a make-shift ladder and onto a pair of large pipes, each twice as wide as she was, that ran across a pit of raw Mako to a metal platform on the other side. A door there led farther into the reactor. She walked slowly across the pipes, being sure not to let herself slip. Even though the pipes were wide, the prospect of falling into the Mako pit was what frightened her the most at the moment. Vincent had opened the door by the time she made it over, and was standing just inside the next room.

Lucrecia's breath caught in her throat as she saw the metal plaque above the door at the top of the steps there. 'Jenova.' She would finally see the actual specimen, the Ancient that had managed to survive for two-thousand years. She hurried up the steps and pushed a button to open the door, her footsteps slowing as she saw the creature.

The walls of the room were covered in vents and bright bulbs that cast their light upon the huge glass cylindar that dominated the room, various tubes and wires running from it. Inside was the Jenova specimen, suspended in Mako. It was a humanoid creature with smooth blue skin and a semblance of sleek muscles beneath. Red growths bubbled from her, a pair of broken violet wings protruding from her back, vein-covered and jaged. Her arms disappeared behind her body, her bosom covered in dark blue veins. Her face was shadowed by a metal cap, but one pink eye glowed out from the darkness. Long silver-blond locks protruded from the cap, hanging straight and stiff in the Mako. Jenova's face wore a slight smile, as though the half-dead creature found something amusing...

Lucrecia smiled in delight-as a scientist, she found it ingredibly intruiging, even beautiful in its own right. She glanced at Hojo and Gast to find them equally interested. She turned back to her study of the organism, wondering what it was feeling at the moment. Was it at all conscious? It was certainly alive, but its gaze seemed to have no focus. She, Lucrecia corrected herself, it's definately a she. She glanced back down at Vincent. He was watching silently from the room below, and quickly looked away when she saw him watching. She almost motioned for him to come up and have a look, but decided against it. Hojo would be in an uproar about that for days... he very much disliked Vincent, although she wouldn't go so far as to say 'hate.'

She turned back to the Jenova specimen, took out her pen and a clean sheet of paper, and started scetching it, writing down notes to herself as she drew...

Vincent waited while Lucrecia put on her boots and coat, then walked outside with her. There were a few inches of snow covering the ground from the day before, and it was too cold for it to melt just yet. The two of them took a walk around the town and the plains to the south almost daily. It was the first snow this winter, but Lucrecia had been two busy for the past two days to be able to take time off. Professor Gast had just relieved her, and she had immediately rushed up from the basement to join Vincent.

Her blue-green eyes sparkled with delight as she listened to the sound of her feet in the snow, glancing back to see her footprints in the white behind her. Upon reaching the well, she climbed up and sat down on the edge, smiling down at the Turk. She always seemed to enjoy behing higher than him for once. He leaned against the side of the well, looking out at the snow-covered village.

"You know, Vincent, I've been thinking," she said, her light voice chiming like bells in the air. "I'm always talking too much, and you hardly ever say anything about yourself." Vincent looked up at her as she gazed down at him thoughtfully from her perch. "Where did you come from? Why did you join the Turks? What's it like in that kind of job?"

He took a moment to process the questions, then looked out at the village again. "My father worked for Shinra, right when it first formed. He was fairly high up in the executive ranks. My mother was from Wutai, or so I've been told."

Lucrecia dangled her legs out over the side of the well. "I thought you looked sort of Wutain. I suppose you look like your mother, right? Was she pretty?"

Vincent shrugged. "I never knew her; she died giving birth to me."

"...oh," Lucrecia said. Her voice was brighter as she added, "She must have been, unless you got your good looks from your father."

The Turk colored slightly, then shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Sorry, I interupted you. Go on."

He nodded, continuing his study of the village. Most of the people there were young couples, so there weren't any children that came out to play. It was a strange town that had empty streets after a snowstorm. "I lived with my father in Midgar for a while. He always worked late, so I hardly saw him. He died when I was fourteen. No one ever told me how or why... I haven't had the heart to look up his name in our files." Indeed he hadn't, even though he thought he caught a glimpse of a folder with his father's name on it once, he wasn't going to explore. There was no point in it-his father was dead, and that was that. Besides, he barely knew him.

"I ended up on the streets for a few years, and I learned to take care of myself... Then I decided to sign up with Shinra. The pay was good enough, so I became a Shinra regular, which is when I picked up my first gun..." He glanced up at Lucrecia for a moment, then looked down at the snow beneath his feet. "I made my way up the ranks rather quickly... they said... that I was very skilled with a gun..." He didn't like to brag, especially not to Lucrecia, and winced a little, thinking that he was. In fact, he didn't like talking about himself at all. He prefered to listen to Lucrecia talk. She never seemed to run out of things to say.

"I was with the Shinra army until this year, when I got promoted to the Turks," he concluded. "The day I met you." He smiled at her a little.

"How old are you now?" she inquired. "I don't think you told me before."

"Twenty-six, as of October."

Lucrecia looked a little ashamed. "I'm sorry... I missed your birthday..."

He shrugged. "No need to make a bit deal of it. It's never been very important."

"Still..." she insisted. "I should have at least said something... what day was it?"

"The thirteenth," he replied curtly.

"Right..." She paused for a moment. "That's an odd birthday... October thirteenth..." She tilted her head slightly. "I think it suits you though."

"......yours is May seventh, right?" Vincent asked.

Lucrecia smiled and nodded. "It's nice to know you listen when I talk... I was worried I might be boring you." She phrased it seriously enough, but her tone was joking, and he knew she didn't mean the last part.

"Quite the contrary," Vincent responded anyway, "I love it when you talk about yourself."

He saw her blush slightly and swing her legs nervously. "...am I really that interesting?" He nodded sincerely. She smiled. "I'm glad. I tend to get carried away sometimes..."

"I don't mind," he said.

She hopped down from the well and gave him a hug. "That's just one reason why I like you so much, Vincent. You're always willing to listen." She smiled again as she backed away. Vincent found himself smiling back, his heart swelling in his chest as it always did. There was something that bothered him though-not once did she ever say that she loved him, even though he had confessed his feelings to her. He had decided that he would be patient, however, and it was enough for him that she was such a good friend.

"Now let's have some fun," she said. "Wanna build a snowman?"

"...a snowman?" he asked, puzzled.

Lucrecia put her hands on her hips. "Don't tell me you've never built one before." Vincent shook his head. "...well. I guess I'll just have to show you." She reached down to pack a snowball, then held it in her bare hands for a moment, not seeming to mind the cold. "You just roll a snowball along in the snow until it gets big enough, then you use that as the base. Then you just make another one, smaller, and put it on top. The head is smaller, and then you get to decorate it."

Vincent blinked at her. "And the purpose of this is...?"

"To have fun!" she exclaimed, as if there could be no other answer.

Vincent grinned sheepishly. "All right." Lucrecia promptly squated down in the snow and began rolling the snowball along; it got bigger as it went. Vincent walked over to her and crouched down beside her, helping once it started getting big. Once it was about three feet in diameter, they stopped rolling it and Lucrecia went to get another snowball...

They finished the snowman and Lucrecia added a few finishing touches-twigs for arms and stones for eyes. She grinned at Vincent, who smiled back. She scooped up another handful of snow and tossed it at him playfully, turning to run. A short chase ensued, short because Vincent could run much faster than she.

He caught her up, grabbing her around the waist, but she struggled and they got off balance, falling in a heap in the snow. Lucrecia lay on top of him, giggling, for a moment before she picked herself up, brushing the snow from herself. Vincent grinned and got up, shaking the snow from his hair and brushing it off his jacket.

The two simply stood there for a few minutes, before one solitary snowflake drifted down between them. Several more followed, and Lucrecia's smile broadened. The snow started coming down heavier, and she twirled around in it. Vincent watched her through the snow, watched her lithe form whirl through the falling flakes that now swirled about her. The one moment seemed a blissful eternity, and then she came to a stop and her blue-green eyes smiled up at him. She walked to him, lifted up on her toes, and lightly kissed him before taking his hand.

"Why don't we head in now?" she suggested. "It's getting colder." He nodded in agreement, and the two walked back along the snow-laden street and into the huge Shinra mansion. After they had taken off their coats and boots, Lucrecia led him into the kitchen. "Do you want some hot chocolate?" she quiried.

Vincent shrugged. "I suppose."

She shook her head at him. "Sometimes you can be so noncommittal." She smiled, rubbed her cold hands together, and set about warming the milk and finding some kind of chocolate. Vincent took a seat on the opposite counter, content to watch her move about the kitchen, her footsteps muffled by thick woolen socks. Several minutes later, she handed him both cups, pulled herself up to sit beside him, and took one of the mugs back into her small hands. She took a tentative sip, then glanced up at him. "You know, you never told me what it's like to be a Turk," she said.

Vincent blinked. "I... I think you'd prefer not to know."

Lucrecia shook her head. "No, no, it's all right. I want to know." She looked thoughtfully down at the steaming mug in her hands. "There are all these nasty things that you hear about Turks... but after meeting you, it's hard for me to believe all of them."

Vincent frowned slightly. "They are true, though," he said. "Turks do murder people, if we get orders to. Kidnapping, assassinations, scemes much too complicated to explain... all Shinra's dirty work."

The scientist took another sip of her hot chocolate. "But how do you live with something like that? Don't you feel guilty about it?" The Turk looked at her. By the tone of her voice, he knew that he should have felt guilty, he knew that he should have felt some kind of remorse, for doing the work that he did... But he didn't. He said nothing, not wanting to dissapoint her, yet not capable of lying to her, no matter how often he had lied as part of his job. Lucrecia met his gaze for a moment, then lowered her eyes. "...I see."

Vincent felt ashamed, ashamed for not feeling what she had wanted him to feel, for not being exactly who she wanted him to be. His voice was soft as he fumbled out an apology. "I'm sorry..."

"No, it's not your fault," she said hurriedly. "You can't help it if you don't feel anything for... for your victims." She set her half-finished cocoa down on the counter beside her, and turned herself to look at him more directly. "I think I understand now why you're so cold with everyone-you don't have any feeling for them, or against them. They're just... there. Unless they concern you somehow, you don't feel any need to contact them... But... I can't help but wonder why I mean anything to you, if no one else does."

Vincent set his own untouched mug down and turned to her. "I don't know, either," he said gently. "And I wish I did." He laid a hand lightly against her cheek. "But I do love you, Lucrecia. And I'm thankful for that. I don't know what I'd do if I had never met you."

"I know," was all she said. No 'I love you, too.' He showed no signs of pain, however, disguising any other feelings with a soft smile. Lucrecia smiled back slightly, laying her hand over his own. And there was a brief flicker of something across her face. He barely caught it at all and had to wonder what it was. In that one moment, he had percieved some sense of being torn between two decisions... Vincent shook his head slightly and lowered his hand. He took up the mug of hot chocolate once again, but merely looked at the warm liquid, his thoughts elsewhere.

Lucrecia sat with Hojo on the front step of the mansion. The snow was falling steadily, but a slight overhang above them prevented the white flakes from touching them. It was a rare occasion where the two of them were together and without any work to do. The Jenova Project kept all three scientists very busy and they often worked long hours into the night. Still, she had gotten to know Hojo well during the past four months. There were, however, things she had yet to learn.

"What made you want to become a scientist?" she asked rather abruptly.

Hojo turned his sharp black gaze upon her, but his expression softened slightly as his eyes met her own. "I've always had an interest in science. Especially how we came to exist here."

"Is that why you wanted to be included in the Jenova Project?"

"Yes, exactly. Our race was descended from the Ancients. By studying them... there is no limit to what we might discover."

Lucrecia smiled and nodded, casting her gaze out across the snow-covered streets. "That's what I always thought, too. And since Jenova has survived for this long frozen in ice, there might also be a path in medical science through the study of Jenova cells. I've always wanted to help people like that..."

"I was considering doing a test to see how human cells react to exposure to Jenova cells," Hojo said. "But I'd have to get permission from Professor Gast."

"Yes," Lucrecia agreed. "And from the company. They would have to finance human experimentation. We should begin testing on animals before we start anything with humans. President Shinra will want some kind of proof that it wouldn't be dangerous."

"He would," Hojo scoffed. "I don't see how Jenova cells could possibly be dangerous, though. She was a Cetra, and the gene patterns are very similar to humans."

"Quite," Lucrecia concured. "But still... do you think that we could get a person who would be willing to become a guinea pig?"

"We'll figure something out."

"You're right." She watched the snow come down, still steady, showing no signs of letting up. "How much longer do you think it's going to keep snowing?"

Hojo shrugged. "It's the dead of winter. It may last for several days, at this rate."

"Mmm." Lucrecia reached out with her hand to catch a few snowflakes, watching them melt as soon as they touched her palm. "I love snow..." She turned to smile at Hojo, and he smiled back. A rarety... he hardly ever smiled. He was known for his temper, but he had his moments... She shook her head and looked out at the falling snow once more.

It was a warm day, well, warmer than most of the days they had been having lately, in early March. The trees were still quite bare, and the grass was a mixture of green and brown. A few patches of rapidly melting snow lay here and there, in the shade of the houses. The sky was a clear blue, and still looked a bit frosty, but it was still morning, and the air might yet get even warmer.

Lucrecia peeped out the window, deciding not to don her heavier coat, before stepping outside. Vincent was there on the step, waiting for her. She smiled at him as she took his hand and walked out the gate with him. He had said that he had something important to tell her... Of course, in her opinion, anything he had to say would be well-listened-to. They walked in silence to the entryway at the front of town, where Vincent stopped, keeping a loose grip on her hand.

He simply looked at her for a moment, then frowned slightly, apparently having trouble finding his words. It was a rare occasion with him, it seemed, except when he was expressing his feelings. "We've been... friends, for a while now..." he began awkwardly. "I don't really know how to ask this..."

Lucrecia smiled encouragingly. "That's all right," she said gently. "You know I don't mind if it comes out wrong."

Vincent smiled down at her, then took her other hand. "Lucrecia, would you marry me?" he asked, voice full of emotion. Lucrecia stared at him, not knowing how to answer. What was she supposed to say? She loved both him and Hojo. Freeing her hands from his grasp, she took a step back, shaking her head in confusion. She could see his face, uncertain now, a hint of disappointment showing.

"I... I'm sorry..." she stammered before taking off at a run out of Nibelheim. Anything to get away from his eyes...! She couldn't bare him looking at her like that. Yet she knew she couldn't marry him. Or could she? Not yet at least. She had to get it all sorted out first. Oh, Gods... Vincent... I'm sorry...

Vincent watched from the corner of a building. He watched as Lucrecia ran to Hojo, flinging her arms around him. The scientist held her close, gently stroking her hair and murmering words of some comfort to her. The Turk watched as she buried her face against Hojo's chest, and he could watch no longer. Vincent wrenched his gaze from the pair beneath the archway and looked down at the ground beneath his feet.

So that was it... she loved Hojo, not him. But did Hojo love her? He doubted it. But what did it matter...? She had never loved him... she just didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. Lucrecia... he didn't deserve her anyway. No, he was a Turk, an assassin, a killer, a murderer. Still... he could not help but love her. He wanted to hold her, to dry her tears... She loved Hojo. Not him. It hurt. It was as though someone had reached into his chest and ripped out his heart... and thrown it away. His feelings were being trampled. Don't think of yourself, Vincent thought, think of Lucrecia. He looked South across the rippling grass plains. If she is happy then... I don't mind.

"I just got word from the President," came Hojo's voice. "He's approved the experiment."

"Oh?" Lucrecia murmered absently. Her thoughts were elsewhere.

Hojo gently lifted her chin so that she had to look at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No... nothing's wrong," she lied. "I'm fine." Vincent... I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be. I can't very well marry both of you. You... you're stronger than Hojo. You can deal with it... I just wish I didn't have to hurt you so...

The other scientist looked at her for a moment in scrutiny, then lowered his hand and turned away. "The only problem is, that we don't have a... a guinea pig for the Project."

"We'll figure something out, just like you said," Lucrecia told him.

Hojo nodded, then glanced at her over his shoulder. "I had a thought... that perhaps you could..."

Lucrecia blinked, then lowered her eyes to stare at the silver wedding band upon her finger. "I see..."

"It's your choice, of course," he said quickly. "I don't want to force you into anything you feel uncomfortable with."

"I'll think about it," she answered quietly.

"It's vital to the Project that we have an unborn child to experiment with."

"I need to consider the dangers of using Jenova cells," Lucrecia said.

"You know you don't have to worry about that," Hojo assured her. "You'll be well taken care of."

Lucrecia nodded. "Just give me a few days to think on it."

Vincent leaned against the wall in the empty hallway. Nothing adorned the plain walls, not even a single picture frame. A few feet away was the door to the music room, or so they called it. Inside was a small tea table and a grand piano. The room was illuminated by three stained glass windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. The door was wide open, but Vincent could not bring himself to enter just yet-she was in there.

He could hear her, playing the piano. She was very good, playing without any hesitation or wrong notes. The tune was eery, sad, and vaguely familiar. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself away from the wall and walked slowly into the room, pausing in the doorway. He watched her as her fingers danced across the ivories, delicate, haunting. Her hands lifted from the piano, poised in midair as she let the last note fade away, though its memory lingered in the air, tricking the ear into thinking it could still be heard.

Lucrecia looked up at him then, the mirth and energy gone from her sorrowful eyes. She tried to smile, but the gesture failed miserably, and she looked down, lowering her hands to her lap. Vincent frowned slightly, wondering what was hurting her so. If it was him, he would soon leave-he just wanted to ask her what she had been playing. "...what was that song, Lucrecia?"

She looked up at him again, the pain still on her face. "I don't have a name for it yet..." she all but whispered. Her voice seemed hoarse, as if from suppressed tears. She turned back to the piano and began playing again... this was her own song, she was making it up herself... How sad it seemed. The notes continued onwards, ending in a spiral, an eery swirl. She sat back for a moment, thinking, then spoke without looking at him again. "The Nightmares Beginning," she told him quietly. Her voice was barely audible as she added, "It's your song..."

Vincent shook his head sadly. His song? Was that what she thought of him? She saw more than he thought she did. He would have to harden his resolve-he didn't want her to feel sorry for him. That would only end up hurting her, and that was the last thing he wanted for her. But there was something bothering her, something very wrong. He could see it in her eyes, the flood of tears just barely held at bay. And his expression softened as he asked, "What's wrong?"

She glanced up at him, then quickly lowered her eyes once more. "I... Vincent, I'm..." The tears began to well up in her eyes and she bit her lip in an attempt to keep them back. "...I'm pregnant," she finally managed. With that, she let out a muffled sob and stood, pushing past him and running off down the hallway, the tears streaming down her cheeks now. Vincent stared after her, not sure what to make of this. Shouldn't she be happy that she was having a child? Frowning slightly, he wandered to the piano, running a hand along the keys. He wished he knew how to play... perhaps he could play a song for her then...

At that moment, Hojo strode in, glancing behind him, towards the hall, then glaring at Vincent. "I thought I might find you here. Just what did you say to make her so upset!?" he demanded.

Vincent blinked, startled, then shook his head slowly. "She was already upset when I came in."

The scientist raised his eyebrows. "And just what was it that was bothering her, if it wasn't you?"

"She... she said that she was pregnant..." Vincent answered, frowning slightly in confusion.

"Why would she be upset about something like that?" Hojo scoffed. "You must have said something." The Turk merely shook his head and stayed where he was. Hojo growled something under his breath, then walked out the door... perhaps 'stalked' would have been a better word.

Vincent sighed and sat down on the piano bench, looking at his gloved hands. He didn't need to say anything to upset her... the very sight of him seemed to cause her grief. He wished he knew why, but... he couldn't read her face as easily as she could his. It only seemed to complicate matters... she didn't want to see him. He wanted to see her, to at least be able to talk to her like they used to do so often... to protect her... But she didn't want to see him.

Still, something didn't seem right. Why would she be so upset about being pregnant? Was there something more to it...? Slowly, he stood and walked silently from the room, heading down the hallway and back out into the main entry chamber. From there, he walked up the curved staircase and to the room that led to the basement. The feeling of foreboding that he had felt on his first day in Nibelheim lingered here now, growing stronger as he made his way down the spiral staircase. Again he passed the closed door to his left, only now there was merely a feeling of death about it.

Vincent's step quickened slightly until he came to the end of the hall. The lab door was open, and he let himself in, looking around in concern for Lucrecia. He knew she would be here... and she was, with Hojo standing near her. The scientist looked up sharply as the Turk entered. Lucrecia followed his gaze, the painful expression still plain on her face.

"There must be more to it," Vincent said quietly, knowing quite well that they both knew what he was talking about. "I want to know what it is."

"It's an experiment," Hojo explained, annoyed, "to test the reaction of human growth to Jenova cells."

"What!?" Vincent exclaimed, his emotionless expression shattered, replaced by a look of shock. "And you would do this to your own wife!?"

"She volunteered, it was her choice," the scientist said, though Vincent doubted his words. "Besides, we've been experimenting for months, it should be perfectly safe to work with a human."

The Turk shook his head, still horrified. "I'm against it!! Why experiments on humans!?"

"She and I are both scientists!!" Hojo declared. Lucrecia merely looked down, tears still staining her cheeks.

"Look at her!" Vincent said, gesturing sharply with one hand. "Does she look at all happy with this experiment!?"

Lucrecia looked up at him again. "Vincent, please-"

"It was her descision!" Hojo interrupted. "Now I want you out of my lab! Out!!" The scientist came forward, violently shooing Vincent from the laboratory and slamming the door shut in his face.

The snow swirled outside, the wind shrilling tunelessly, hurling itself against the freezing pane. Snowflakes battered against the window, some melting and freezing there to form ice, others bouncing away and falling to the ground below. And always the flakes continued to come down, like tiny angels, fallen from grace. There was never any end to them, never anything beyond the whirling snow.

Lucrecia sat in her room, staring out the window, one pale hand resting on her swollen abdomen. Gast had told her that she mustn't go out, not in her current condition. She still loved the snow, but in a sad sort of way. It would forever remind her of Vincent-the cold, emotionless visage, yet so easily melted by her touch... She shivered slightly, but did not bother to pull the blanket that lay rumpled around her waist up to her shoulders, nor did she even glance at the fire to see if it needed tending. Certainly, someone would come if she called... but she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

Almost nine months since that fateful day, yet she remembered it as clearly as if it had been yesterday. The feel of his hands around hers that were so tiny in comparison. The sound of his voice as he posed the question, expectant, but full of warmth. The look in his eyes as she appologized, then turned to run from him. That look... it was forever burned into her mind, one of such disappointment and pain.

And now, whenever she saw him, his eyes had frozen over, colder than the snow that fell outside her window, the pain sealed off from her, so that she would not pity him. But she did anyway. It had hurt to refuse him, to cast him aside like that. Seeing him so cold to everyone, even her, hurt her even more, because she knew that the anguish beneath that mask had to be immense. Even seeing him was rare. She wanted to see him, but knew that at the same time, it would only hurt her. He must have known the same, for he was avoiding her...

Vincent. How she wished she could comfort him, wished that he would comfort her, that he would hold her as he had before. But no, it could not be. She was married to Hojo... and her love for him, it was dwindling... the man had begun treating her more harshly as the months went by, almost as though she was just another of his specimens. Perhaps that's what she was to him. A specimen. She longed for him to look at her as he once had, with that warmth in his eyes, the gentle touch of his hands, however bony they may have been.

No, never again. Never again would either of them look at her that way. Hojo, he no longer cared about her, only her child. But not the way a father should... more like a scientist marveling at his creation. Vincent... Vincent still cared, but he had firmly set the idea in his mind that she had never loved him in the first place... She wished she could tell him otherwise, but how could she? She was married, and almost due to have her first child. A son, or a daughter? she wondered for the hundredth time. Hojo had not told her, and Gast was as absentminded with people as he had always been.

So many regrets... Would things ever turn out right? Lucrecia could feel herself weakening. Day by day, she was growing more fragile. Perhaps it was from the pregnancy... perhaps she would regain her health after the child was born... but something told her that she might not even survive that long. It was quite likely that she might die in childbirth, and she almost wished that she would. Then maybe her suffering would come to an end. But would Vincent ever recover from it? If she knew him well, and she knew she did, then he might even blame himself for her death. She hoped that he would not.

And what of her child? She did not want it to grow up without a mother... and how would Hojo treat it? She could not even begin to imagine, and doubted that she wanted to. Her child... lightly, she stroked the curve of her belly. It was almost time... almost. Only another week at most, Gast had told her. Hojo was anxious for the birth, but he also wanted to continue with the testing, monitoring the child's growth, monitoring every aspect of it. Luckily, Gast had seen the state that she was in, a rarety, and made quite sure that she rested well until the birth of the baby, and until she regained her strength. If she ever would. Yes, perhaps she would die. But wishing for it would be selfish. No, she must stay alive; no matter how painful it was for her, death was not an option.

A soft knock on the door drew her reluctant attention. After a moment, she said, "Come in." The sound of her own voice startled her... especially with how weak it sounded.

Professor Gast entered, a concerned look on his plain features. "Do you mind if I sit down?" he asked. She shook her head, and he sat near her, taking a moment to pull the blanket up around her shoulders. She welcomed the warmth, but a part of her much prefered the cold, wanting to be one with the cold snow outside... to be an angel falling from the heavens...

"I've been worried about you," came Gast's voice, cutting through her twisted musings. "You haven't been yourself lately..." Lucrecia blinked. So he had finally noticed... the poor man. "Tell me, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine," she lied. "Just a little tired."

"No, I'm certain that's not the problem... Is it that Turk-Vincent? Is he bothering you?"

"No, not at all," she replied, surprised at how steady her feeble voice managed to sound.

Gast frowned in confusion. "Then please, tell me what's upsetting you."

Lucrecia shook her head. "There's nothing wrong, Professor."

He looked at her carefully for a moment, then nodded and slowly stood. He glanced at the dwindling fire, added a few logs, coaxing it to a warm blaze again before walking to the door. Gast paused there, looking back at her. "If things get too bad, don't hesitate to inform me." With that, he left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

Lucrecia sighed and drew the blanket closer about her, wishing once more that she was in Vincent's arms instead. Too often now, she wished that. Much too often. She had dwelled on his memory long enough. She turned her gaze back to the window, and watched the snowflakes as they rode the wind down to the deep drifts below.

Lucrecia watched as they took the child, severed the umbilical cord, cleaned its skin. Her tired muscles fell limp, but one feeble arm reached towards the boy. "Can I hold him?" she whispered. They did not seem to hear her... "Can I hold him?" she tried a little louder, but to no avail-they still did not hear her, were not paying attention. No, the two scientists were more interested in the child. Her son.

She caught a glimpse of his face, and he was looking at her. He shouldn't have been able to focus his eyes yet, but that blue-green gaze was fixed intently on her face. The child's wet hair seemed silver, but that couldn't be... or could it? Perhaps. She tried to push herself up, but her limps were too weak... too tired... She let her arm fall languidly to the twisted bedsheets.

She could feel her consciousness slipping away, kept her eyes fixed on her son. She was not dying yet. Not yet. Gast turned to her, quietly asked her for a name, any name would do, he told her. "Sephiroth," she fumbled out. "My son... Sephiroth... Can I hold him?" she repeated, but Gast had already walked away from her. She felt her eyelids closing, looked once more at her son, her own eyes meeting his intense gaze, before her eyes closed and her consciousness fell away. And that was the last time she would ever see her child, the first and the last... never again.

Vincent blinked as Hojo handed him the baby, wrapped in a soft blanket. It was clear that he was meant to take care of it until they had finished setting things up for it. He stayed just outside Lucrecia's room, holding the child. He looked down at it, barely noticing as Gast and Hojo passed him, the latter giving him a scornful look.

Such amazing eyes the boy had, just like Lucrecia's... only they held none of her energy and spirit. They were more like her eyes now, drained of emotion, barely finding anything interesting. But the baby's eyes did not wander as one would expect. Instead they had fixed themselves on Vincent. Twin pools of intelligence. He shook his head, lightly touched the boy's hair. Silver... a strange color, but that was to be expected. The child was small, but from what he had heard, the birth had been hard on Lucrecia...

His gaze lifted from the child to glance at the door. Lucrecia... was she alright? He glanced at the child in his arms. Perhaps she would want to hold him. He pushed open the door, looking inside. She was lying there upon the bed, the sheets rumpled, the blanket cast off onto the floor. Everything was in a mess. Lucrecia lay there limply, asleep, her breathing shallow, her skin pale. Vincent set the baby down carefully on a cushioned chair and set to work cleaning up. At the moment, he didn't care about what Hojo thought... Lucrecia was weak and needed tending to...

He trudged through the deep snow to the inn and opened the door, not even bothering to stomp the snow from his boots. After Sephiroth's birth, Lucrecia had chosen to move to a room in the inn... probably to get away from it all, away from Hojo, away from Gast... but mostly, away from him. She had been incredibly weak, not even able to walk when last he saw her, and he had come to check up on her, as the other two scientists seemed too busy with their new specimen to do so. She didn't want to see him, but someone had to make sure she was all right.

Vincen barely glanced at the innkeeper and walked upstairs, knocking softly on Lucrecia's door. There was no answer. He opened it a crack, peering inside. His eyes widened and he flung the door wide open, rushing to Lucrecia where she lay sprawled on the wooden floor. He knelt down beside her, then turned her over and held her gently in his lap. She was alive... barely. Her breathing was irregular, her pulse much too slow.

Her eyes fluttered open and she whispered, her wavering voice just barely reaching his ears, "Vincent... w-what happened...?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, but we need to get you to a doctor." Her skin looked altogether too pale, almost white, her body too limp... He frowned in worry, but she just smiled at him.

"Don't... worry about me," she murmured. "I... I was already dying. I just want... to......"

She trailed off, her eyes threatening to close, but she fought it. "What, Lucrecia? Is there anything I can do?"

She nodded weakly. "I want... to see... my son....." she managed.

Vincent nodded, then lifted her fragile form and placed her carefully on the bed. "I'll be back soon," he told her gently. "And I'll bring help. You're not going to die." He wished he sounded more convincing... wished he believed his own words.

"...and bring my son..." she added. "Bring Sephiroth. I want... want to hold him..."

Again, the Turk nodded, then, after one last worried glance at her, he hurried back out of the inn. He speed up to a run, even through the snow, racing through the mansion to the basement, where he found Hojo, alone with Lucrecia's son. The scientist looked up at him, setting the child down upon his operating table. "What is it?" he asked sharply.

"Lucrecia... she'd dying...!" Vincent said, straightening and making a desperate gesture with one hand. "You have to help her!!"

For a moment, Hojo actually looked as though he cared, a worried look creasing his face as he ran both hands through his black hair. He paused, then drew a gun out from under his lab coat and pointed it at Vincent. A single shot rang out, and a pain stabbed through his chest. Unbearable pain. He put a finger to his chest, lifted it away, saw the crimson blood. Then his legs gave way beneath him and he crumpled to the floor, his consciousness leaving him as his head fell heavy on the stone foundation.