A/n: So this is the end, I truly hope you enjoyed it. Recommend me to your friends and all that jazz ^^. And I'll be writing another fic soon so please read that too. And here is the end to The Nightmare Begins…

7

We stand together in this altar, in a small chapel within a likewise small town, and this priest in white robes has a book open and is reading it before us. I squeeze your hand, and though I cannot see you there I know it is your hand that I squeeze; your voice I hear saying "I do" with the utmost confidence. A feeling swells in my heart, and a smile shines upon my face. The priest asks me a question, I do not hear him, but I reply with the words you used moments ago.

And the most painful thing about it all, thinking about that day as I'm locked away in here, is that I know none of that was real.

From Vincent's understanding Tsang was given permanent duty within Midgar, which, considering the city's size, could have been worse. As for Vincent, he was assigned to do a number of odd jobs over the two years after what came to be known as the Junon Terrorist Bombing. One week he'd be performing maintenance checks on a Mako reactor, the next week he'd be on the other side of the world leading a dozen Shinra troops into a raid of some sort, and the next week he'd be sitting in a Midgar office doing nothing but breathing. Shinra tried to keep him occupied, since, according to Professor Gast, Vincent knew enough about the Jenova cells to put the entire company in jeopardy. Vincent of course reminded his superiors that Turks have various oaths that prevent them from leaking such information, but they were too paranoid to listen to anything Vincent had to say.

 He was in a helicopter, flying to a place dubbed Rocket Town, when his phone rang. Vincent picked it up, and he heard a very familiar voice. "Vincent I just checked some files. They're going to use Lucrecia as a surrogate mother for some Jenova project. You and Rachael were my family, whether I showed it or not. Goodbye," and the phone went dead.

A million thoughts swirled within Vincent's mind, about Lucrecia, seeing her giving birth to some monster; thoughts of Tsang, and how horribly he treated him. Vincent looked to the south, and saw Mount Nibel. I'm coming Lucrecia, I swear. They can't do this to you

***

Vincent stopped the truck at the foot of Mount Nibel. The weather-beaten red truck was sitting outside a house when Vincent saw it, and as soon as he could he stole it, and started driving south. Night was falling, not that he ever slept, and he started his trek up the mountain. The gray rocks formed pathways and tunnels in and out of the mountain, and soon he was lost completely. His head swum, always with these images of Lucrecia dying in labor or some grotesque thing ripping it's way through her abdomen. Twice he stopped and threw up over the mountainside, but he wouldn't let himself be deterred.

He found Nibelheim asleep when he entered it from the mountain. The moon had risen high when he finally made it to the Shinra mansion, slowly, quietly. The ancient floorboards gave no hint of his walking on them, which subconsciously startled Vincent, since when he stayed in the mansion the floor squeaked every time it was granted half a chance. He worked his way up to the bedroom on the east side of the house, and carelessly the secret panel had been left wide open. They must trust that no one's going to come in here anymore, I guess…

He walked down the staircase, again, silently, and reached the underground passage. He could hear two voices distinctly, once of them he loved, one of which he didn't. Like a panther he walked, stealthily, draped in shadow, and slipped inside the room at the end of the passageway; the lab.

"Good evening Lucrecia," Vincent said softly, which caused her to jump out of her skin with a shriek.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Professor Gast asked, placing an arm around the Professor,

"I was informed you were planning on putting Jenova cells into Lucrecia's body," Vincent said, somehow keeping his calm composure.

"I don't know how you found out about that, Vincent Valentine," Gast said, sneering. Lucrecia looked into Vincent's eyes and clung more closely to Gast.

"You killed my father….. you- you cheated on me and used me and you left me and you murdered my father, what are you doing here?" she cried, laying her head on Gast's shoulder. "I don't want to see him anymore…"

Vincent looked at the pair, eyebrow raised. "Are you carrying his child?"

"Yes," Gast quickly answered, sneer ever present on his face.

"And do you plan to infect this child which has yet to breathe the air of the world, with those cells of the alien Jenova?" Vincent asked, still calm.

"That's none of your goddamn business. It's confidential.," Gast replied.

"A yes or no will suffice, Professor," Vincent said, drawing his rifle.

"Going to shoot me now, Vincent? She'll really love you then right?" Gast said, smiling.

Vincent put the barrel level with Gast's head. "Yes, or no."

"yes."

"I cannot let you do that."

"So you'll shoot him?" Lucrecia shrieked, pushing Gast out of the way. "No no Vincent. My love," she said, dripping with sarcasm. "Shoot me first. Go on!"

Vincent blinked, and lowered his rifle. "I cannot do that Lucrecia. You know this well enough."

"We are both scientists Vincent. You can't stop us," Gast said, putting his arm on Lucrecia's shoulder.

"Get out Vincent. I don't want to see you again," Lucrecia said with resolve.

"I was ordered to kill your father," Vincent said, after a long pause. She broke into tears and held Gast.

"Liar! Just," she sniffled "just go!"

Vincent looked into the sobbing eyes of the woman he loved and turned around. "I have always loved you Lucrecia. Goodbye." And he walked out of the mansion.

***

The child was born in the Nibelheim hotel, and Shinra doctors were there to assist. The infant was named Sephitorth, and was taken from Lucrecia as soon as it was born. There was no external evidence of the massive amount of Jenova cells within the infant's body, so it was presumed that the Professor had done everything properly. For the first few weeks the child would be treated as normal infants were, so the medical team took the baby back to Midgar while Gast and Hojo cleaned up the mansion somewhat, lest some nosey townsperson came snooping.

Lucrecia was confined to the hotel, where she recovered, or so they had hoped. The Jenova cells had replicated themselves into her body and she was getting sicker and sicker. After three days she collapsed, no breathing, no pulse.

Vincent saw the townspeople carry her out on a makeshift stretcher from the mountainside.

***

"GAST!" Vincent roared, storming into the lab. As soon as the door opened, however, Vincent was shot and collapsed.

"Poor boy," Gast began, dragging Vincent over to the operating table. "You know, it's a shame I had to lie to her so much. She really did love you. But I f***** her, again and again and again," Gast said, driving the scalpel into Vincent's chest. "Now we've done some work with genes, and lets see what we can make of you," Vincent's heart ceased to beat, and darkness closed over him.

***

Vincent awoke on the operating table. Something was different about him. He hopped off the table and felt strange, as if something was inside him that beckoned release. His head was swimming, something just didn't feel right. Something moved inside his mind, like a thought but faster, so that every time Vincent made an attempt to think about it the thing eluded him, but finally it stopped running, and instead grew inside his mind until finally it consumed him. He lost control of himself. He roared, and the blue suit he had worn was torn to shreds as muscles began to bulge, his skeletal structure mutated, and skin was covered with purple hair.

Vincent's eyes flashed red and he ran off to find something, anything, to eat, to consume. He ran down the corridor and saw some soldiers, and he became very hungry.

***

And then I awoke here, Lucrecia. Back in my human form, in clothes that I haven't worn since my days as a civilian. He must've done something to me.. or maybe I'm really dead. I don't know. But the fact is I woke here in this coffin, and I screamed and screamed for help. And when the dark shroud of sleep finally closed over me… my nightmares began.