Chapter 5
Tifa's eyes snapped open, and instantly she jolted up, her eyes wide as she turned her fearsome gaze to the window, where wisps of moonlight strung into the room, as if a ghost was trying desperately to reach her, long pale fingertips outstretched, the gaping shadows creating a sort of horrific picture. She blinked, trying to shake the thought from her mind, though her gaze trailed up to the moon, whose pale oval face stared mournfully back at her, as if it knew something would happen tonight just by it being here.
Tifa's head jolted up to glance at the ceiling when she heard a slight thud, her wine eyes widening.
Sephiroth. He was here already? She quickly stumbled out of bed, the covers tumbling off in her rush as she dashed to the living room, Vincent's name dying in her throat. The couch was empty, looking as if it hadn't been slept in at all. Oh, how could she not have noticed Vincent looking like he was to stay up all night? How could she fall asleep in a time like this?
Another thud was heard on the roof, and she bit her lip, sprinting out the door, and picking the nearest staircase, bound up the steps until she opened the door to the roof, her breathing coming out in ragged gasps.
Moonlight strung into the makeshift battle field, and everything was deadly quiet, Sephiroth bathed in moonlight while Vincent was cloaked in darkness. Both seemed to be sizing the other up, and for once Tifa was glad this roof was flat. Maybe it would give Vincent some advantage, and it was spacious too.
"Sephiroth." Tifa whispered, though both men didn't even glance her way, their eyes narrowed, and Sephiroth made the first move, dashing forward and slashing out, Vincent side stepping and going to deliver a blow with his gun to Sephiroth's temple, though the silver haired demon swooped to the right, his black cape fluttering like a bird's wings as he dodged.
Sephiroth slashed upward, Vincent jolting back and firing a quick succession of shots, Sephiroth deflecting them easily with his sword. They stopped, their gazes locked as Tifa let lose a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Sephiroth meant she could come back to Cloud, but that would mean that Vincent would die, and she didn't want that. Why did she care so much anyway? She wasn't heartless per say, but she had stood by and watched countless people get murdered, so why would Vincent be any different?
Sephiroth took another lunge, his sword poised as he took a stab, though Vincent swerved to the left, Sephiroth already anticipating the move and swinging his sword sideways, catching Vincent in the stomach as he gasped, blood spurting from his wounds as he fell, clutching his stomach, trying to conceal the pain from his face.
"Vincent!" Tifa cried, going for him, though she stopped when Sephiroth's legendary Masamune lifted, pausing threateningly in front of her throat. She glared at him, turning to look back at Vincent, whose blood was rapidly spilling from his body.
"Shinra sends for you." Sephiroth paused to glance distastefully back at Vincent. "Pity, I thought he would be more of a challenge." Tifa's eyes narrowed dangerously, and without thinking, she turned and round house kicked him hard in the back of his head. He didn't do anything, just whirled around and glared at her, though her eyes were pits of fire.
"Tell Cloud I won't come back unless he comes here himself." Tifa snapped, and Sephiroth glared at her, though his face was one of composure, though she knew he was debating whether or not to kill her. With a slight shrug, he turned and disappeared into the night, and Tifa let out a shaky breath. Sephiroth scared her more than she let on.
Instantly she whirled around, crouching down by Vincent, pressing her hands against his wounds. Great, he had lost a lot of blood, and if he lost anymore. she didn't want to think about it. Adrenaline surging through her veins, she somehow managed to drag him back to the apartment, a bloody trail a ghostly reminder at how much life was leaking away through him.
Settling him on the couch, she quickly searched through the medicine cabinet, finding some bandages and such, rushing back to his side as she put a cool hand to his forehead.
"Vincent, you need to stay awake!" Tifa cried softly, seeing as how his eyes were growing distant, his breaths coming out ragged and shallow. She quickly pitched off his shirt, since there was no time for decency, and quickly disinfected the wound, wrapping bandages tightly around his wound, though she was no doctor. He had lost a lot of blood, and she couldn't very well drive him to a hospital.
"Call." Vincent's ragged breath came out short as he slipped off, and her eyes instantly widened, rushing to the telephone. She could get the medics, but then what would she tell them? Best to call someone she, well, Vincent trusted.
She jabbed in the first number on his list, glancing at Vincent worried. He had lost so much blood.
"Hello?" A groggy voice mumbled, and Tifa inwardly cursed her luck. Great, just great. Could this night get any worse?
"Um." She desperately searched for his name in the corner of her mind, finally fishing it out after a moment. "Reno! You need to get over here! Vincent's hurt and he's bleeding heavily, and Sephiroth was here!" Tifa babbled, the panic seizing her, though she heard Reno on the other end jolt up.
"Listen, stay calm and I'll be there in five minutes tops. Keep Vampy alive till then." He hung up quickly, and Tifa felt some of the weight come off her shoulders. At least he knew what he was doing, not a medic, but just as good, she assured herself. How could you be a police for several years and not pick up something?
About seven minutes later, a disheveled Reno burst through the door, carrying medical supplies, and seeing Vincent's condition, cursed.
"D***mit woman, why didn't you get him a medic or something? This s***'s deep!" Reno snapped, quickly setting to work while Tifa sat next to Vincent, wiping off his brow as he continued to gasp or groan in pain. It was heart wrenching to see this, and all she had done was stand around. And what hurt was that Vincent suffered like this because of her. Cloud had sent Sephiroth to come for her. She bit her lip, watching as Reno continued to mumble angrily, tightening bandages and whatnot.
She had told Sephiroth she wouldn't return until Cloud came for her himself, but would he? She tilted her head to the side, sighing slightly. She should have gone back, since after all, Shinra was where she belonged, certainly not with a stony police officer with a jaded past.
"Well, he looks like he's going to be all right. Lucky son of a b****, but then again, that's Vampy." Reno said after a moment, and Tifa nodded, watching the red head flop back onto a plush loveseat in exhaustion, and Tifa got up, stretching a bit as she looked back down at Vincent, tucking the comforters gently to his neck as his breathing was now deep and even.
Reno watched in amusement, his aquamarine eyes flickering around the pair, his lips twisting into a smirk.
"Going to tuck me in too? I worked hard if you catch my drift." Reno said with a slightly suggestive smirk, and Tifa scowled at him, her hands on her hips.
"How about no, because I know your type. I don't appreciate having someone pull moves on me when a friend is wounded." Tifa said with a slight snap, while Reno grinned, holding up his hands in a submissive gesture.
"I like aggressive women. Can you give me a growl?" Reno said, trilling the last word and Tifa instantly turned red, sending Reno a glare. The nerve! How could he even suggest something like that when his friend was hurt? She looked deeply at him for a moment, seeing the worry hidden in his depths, and she gave a slight sigh, shaking her head. It was his way of coping, so she might as well play along. Or something to that effect.
"Oh bite me." Tifa said, turning her back, while Reno laughed, shaking his head as he leaned back into the chair and glancing up at her with a cocky smirk.
"Just lead the way and I'm there." Reno called after her, while Tifa rolled her eyes, a barely tolerant look on her face as she took a blanket and pillow out of the closet. At least Vincent was organized and she could guess where his things were, unlike the things scattered about in Cloud's room like a tornado had spun through there.
She tossed the items to Reno, who looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Which quickly turned back into another grin.
"Ah, babe, I should've known you wanted to me to stay here with you. Lonely?" Reno teased, while Tifa sighed, shaking her head as she turned to leave.
"Listen, tell me when he wakes up, okay? And Reno?" She paused, feeling his gaze on her back, or maybe a bit lower, though she decided he could look as long as he didn't touch. "Thanks. I appreciate it." She closed the door before the red head could get any ideas, and settled herself back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Cloud would be angry with her, but for some reason she couldn't find a reason to care except she was supposed to love him. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed at the thought. 'Supposed'? That wasn't right. She knew that she had risked limb and neck for Cloud countless times, for love, not 'supposed' love. She sighed, rolling onto a side as she glanced at the door, her expression turning to one of worry.
Right now, she couldn't think of Cloud or the consequences of getting on the bad side of the most feared assassins in Shinra. Right now all she was worried about was how Vincent was.
~*Author's Notes*~ Relatively crappy battle scene, but c'mon! I liked Reno in this one, and Vincent was mostly unconscious. Do not worry, more battle scenes to come, and hopefully I'll be better by then. Sorry it was so short, but hey, I had to get something out. Well, read and review!
Tifa's eyes snapped open, and instantly she jolted up, her eyes wide as she turned her fearsome gaze to the window, where wisps of moonlight strung into the room, as if a ghost was trying desperately to reach her, long pale fingertips outstretched, the gaping shadows creating a sort of horrific picture. She blinked, trying to shake the thought from her mind, though her gaze trailed up to the moon, whose pale oval face stared mournfully back at her, as if it knew something would happen tonight just by it being here.
Tifa's head jolted up to glance at the ceiling when she heard a slight thud, her wine eyes widening.
Sephiroth. He was here already? She quickly stumbled out of bed, the covers tumbling off in her rush as she dashed to the living room, Vincent's name dying in her throat. The couch was empty, looking as if it hadn't been slept in at all. Oh, how could she not have noticed Vincent looking like he was to stay up all night? How could she fall asleep in a time like this?
Another thud was heard on the roof, and she bit her lip, sprinting out the door, and picking the nearest staircase, bound up the steps until she opened the door to the roof, her breathing coming out in ragged gasps.
Moonlight strung into the makeshift battle field, and everything was deadly quiet, Sephiroth bathed in moonlight while Vincent was cloaked in darkness. Both seemed to be sizing the other up, and for once Tifa was glad this roof was flat. Maybe it would give Vincent some advantage, and it was spacious too.
"Sephiroth." Tifa whispered, though both men didn't even glance her way, their eyes narrowed, and Sephiroth made the first move, dashing forward and slashing out, Vincent side stepping and going to deliver a blow with his gun to Sephiroth's temple, though the silver haired demon swooped to the right, his black cape fluttering like a bird's wings as he dodged.
Sephiroth slashed upward, Vincent jolting back and firing a quick succession of shots, Sephiroth deflecting them easily with his sword. They stopped, their gazes locked as Tifa let lose a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Sephiroth meant she could come back to Cloud, but that would mean that Vincent would die, and she didn't want that. Why did she care so much anyway? She wasn't heartless per say, but she had stood by and watched countless people get murdered, so why would Vincent be any different?
Sephiroth took another lunge, his sword poised as he took a stab, though Vincent swerved to the left, Sephiroth already anticipating the move and swinging his sword sideways, catching Vincent in the stomach as he gasped, blood spurting from his wounds as he fell, clutching his stomach, trying to conceal the pain from his face.
"Vincent!" Tifa cried, going for him, though she stopped when Sephiroth's legendary Masamune lifted, pausing threateningly in front of her throat. She glared at him, turning to look back at Vincent, whose blood was rapidly spilling from his body.
"Shinra sends for you." Sephiroth paused to glance distastefully back at Vincent. "Pity, I thought he would be more of a challenge." Tifa's eyes narrowed dangerously, and without thinking, she turned and round house kicked him hard in the back of his head. He didn't do anything, just whirled around and glared at her, though her eyes were pits of fire.
"Tell Cloud I won't come back unless he comes here himself." Tifa snapped, and Sephiroth glared at her, though his face was one of composure, though she knew he was debating whether or not to kill her. With a slight shrug, he turned and disappeared into the night, and Tifa let out a shaky breath. Sephiroth scared her more than she let on.
Instantly she whirled around, crouching down by Vincent, pressing her hands against his wounds. Great, he had lost a lot of blood, and if he lost anymore. she didn't want to think about it. Adrenaline surging through her veins, she somehow managed to drag him back to the apartment, a bloody trail a ghostly reminder at how much life was leaking away through him.
Settling him on the couch, she quickly searched through the medicine cabinet, finding some bandages and such, rushing back to his side as she put a cool hand to his forehead.
"Vincent, you need to stay awake!" Tifa cried softly, seeing as how his eyes were growing distant, his breaths coming out ragged and shallow. She quickly pitched off his shirt, since there was no time for decency, and quickly disinfected the wound, wrapping bandages tightly around his wound, though she was no doctor. He had lost a lot of blood, and she couldn't very well drive him to a hospital.
"Call." Vincent's ragged breath came out short as he slipped off, and her eyes instantly widened, rushing to the telephone. She could get the medics, but then what would she tell them? Best to call someone she, well, Vincent trusted.
She jabbed in the first number on his list, glancing at Vincent worried. He had lost so much blood.
"Hello?" A groggy voice mumbled, and Tifa inwardly cursed her luck. Great, just great. Could this night get any worse?
"Um." She desperately searched for his name in the corner of her mind, finally fishing it out after a moment. "Reno! You need to get over here! Vincent's hurt and he's bleeding heavily, and Sephiroth was here!" Tifa babbled, the panic seizing her, though she heard Reno on the other end jolt up.
"Listen, stay calm and I'll be there in five minutes tops. Keep Vampy alive till then." He hung up quickly, and Tifa felt some of the weight come off her shoulders. At least he knew what he was doing, not a medic, but just as good, she assured herself. How could you be a police for several years and not pick up something?
About seven minutes later, a disheveled Reno burst through the door, carrying medical supplies, and seeing Vincent's condition, cursed.
"D***mit woman, why didn't you get him a medic or something? This s***'s deep!" Reno snapped, quickly setting to work while Tifa sat next to Vincent, wiping off his brow as he continued to gasp or groan in pain. It was heart wrenching to see this, and all she had done was stand around. And what hurt was that Vincent suffered like this because of her. Cloud had sent Sephiroth to come for her. She bit her lip, watching as Reno continued to mumble angrily, tightening bandages and whatnot.
She had told Sephiroth she wouldn't return until Cloud came for her himself, but would he? She tilted her head to the side, sighing slightly. She should have gone back, since after all, Shinra was where she belonged, certainly not with a stony police officer with a jaded past.
"Well, he looks like he's going to be all right. Lucky son of a b****, but then again, that's Vampy." Reno said after a moment, and Tifa nodded, watching the red head flop back onto a plush loveseat in exhaustion, and Tifa got up, stretching a bit as she looked back down at Vincent, tucking the comforters gently to his neck as his breathing was now deep and even.
Reno watched in amusement, his aquamarine eyes flickering around the pair, his lips twisting into a smirk.
"Going to tuck me in too? I worked hard if you catch my drift." Reno said with a slightly suggestive smirk, and Tifa scowled at him, her hands on her hips.
"How about no, because I know your type. I don't appreciate having someone pull moves on me when a friend is wounded." Tifa said with a slight snap, while Reno grinned, holding up his hands in a submissive gesture.
"I like aggressive women. Can you give me a growl?" Reno said, trilling the last word and Tifa instantly turned red, sending Reno a glare. The nerve! How could he even suggest something like that when his friend was hurt? She looked deeply at him for a moment, seeing the worry hidden in his depths, and she gave a slight sigh, shaking her head. It was his way of coping, so she might as well play along. Or something to that effect.
"Oh bite me." Tifa said, turning her back, while Reno laughed, shaking his head as he leaned back into the chair and glancing up at her with a cocky smirk.
"Just lead the way and I'm there." Reno called after her, while Tifa rolled her eyes, a barely tolerant look on her face as she took a blanket and pillow out of the closet. At least Vincent was organized and she could guess where his things were, unlike the things scattered about in Cloud's room like a tornado had spun through there.
She tossed the items to Reno, who looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Which quickly turned back into another grin.
"Ah, babe, I should've known you wanted to me to stay here with you. Lonely?" Reno teased, while Tifa sighed, shaking her head as she turned to leave.
"Listen, tell me when he wakes up, okay? And Reno?" She paused, feeling his gaze on her back, or maybe a bit lower, though she decided he could look as long as he didn't touch. "Thanks. I appreciate it." She closed the door before the red head could get any ideas, and settled herself back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Cloud would be angry with her, but for some reason she couldn't find a reason to care except she was supposed to love him. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed at the thought. 'Supposed'? That wasn't right. She knew that she had risked limb and neck for Cloud countless times, for love, not 'supposed' love. She sighed, rolling onto a side as she glanced at the door, her expression turning to one of worry.
Right now, she couldn't think of Cloud or the consequences of getting on the bad side of the most feared assassins in Shinra. Right now all she was worried about was how Vincent was.
~*Author's Notes*~ Relatively crappy battle scene, but c'mon! I liked Reno in this one, and Vincent was mostly unconscious. Do not worry, more battle scenes to come, and hopefully I'll be better by then. Sorry it was so short, but hey, I had to get something out. Well, read and review!