Disclaimer: Get ready for an angst fest! Live, right here at !
Bum-da-da-dun!
This chapter is wholly dedicated to none other then the sweet-hearted Tifa Carbuncle! She gave me such a good idea for the ending of this fic! I wouldn't have even come up with something this good! I hope you're reading this, Tifa Carbuncle because your wonderful idea is coming into play in this chapter! You're such an inspiration! Thank you so much for the wonderful idea! I hope you and everyone else who's read this fic so far enjoys it! I certainly enjoyed writing it! Thank you everyone for all your reviews and support along the way! Without you guys I wouldn't have gotten this fic off the ground let alone kept it in the air! You're all so sweet and I thank you again!
I hope you enjoy this chapter! XD
"Do you mind if I stay with you for one more night, Vincent?" I asked, as we rode back into town.
"I find nothing wrong with that. Of course."
I smiled as I got off of Ace and walked him around the back of my house. I unlocked my house and got a change of clothes and some pajamas. I walked into his house and found him sitting at his dining room table with a phone to his ear. He hung up a few minutes later and set the phone down.
"Who was that?" I asked, setting my clothes down on the couch.
"I ordered pizza," he said, before getting up and returning the phone to the dock.
"Oh, okay."
About a half an hour later, a guy with a red shirt and funny looking hat knocked on the door and gave Vincent two pizzas. Vincent handed him a few bills and told him to keep the change.
He set the boxes down on the table and retrieved two plates from the cupboard. He handed one to me and opened one box then the other. One cheese, one pepperoni. Simple enough.
I grabbed two slices of cheese and sat down next to him. I looked into one of the pizza boxes and grabbed a small plastic cup that was labeled 'Garlic Sauce.' I ripped the crusts off my pizza and dipped one end in the small plastic container.
"Why do you rip the crusts off?"
"Well," I said, looking up at him. "I guess it's a habit. I don't know, I've always torn the crusts off my pizza and dipped it in something. It's sorta like eating a breadstick."
He nodded as he took a bite of his pizza.
We ate in silence until we were finished. I retreated upstairs and got into my pajamas early. I walked downstairs and Vincent was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels. I sat down next to him and pulled my legs up underneath me.
He looked down at my pajama pants and snickered a small amount. "Nice pajamas," he said, pointing at my purple and yellow chocobo and moogle print pajamas. "I like your top though."
I laughed as he pointed to the small chocobo that was on the top left corner of my spaghetti strap shirt.
"Why, thank you, Vincent," I said, leaning my shoulder against his and turning my head to look at the TV.
We watched 'My Big Fat Wuatian Wedding' then decided to go to bed.
I curled up next to Vincent and laid my head on his shoulder. I looked up at him with a tired smile on my face. He softly brushed his lips against mine before switching off the light.
"Tifa . . . ."
A ghostly voice woke me. I lifted my head from Vincent's shoulder and looked around, not sure if what I heard was real.
"Tifa. . . ."
Alright, what is that?
I gently got out of the bed as to not wake Vincent and walked out into the hall.
"Tifa. . . ."
I followed the voice downstairs and I almost fainted when I saw what was calling my name.
Cloud Strife smiled at me as he saw me descend the stairs. He looked just like he did the last time I saw him. Except now a sort of ethereal glow surrounded him as he walked closer to me.
"Tifa, it's so good to see you again," he said, stopping in front of me.
"But. . . how are you here?" I asked, still very shocked as to why he was standing in front of me.
"I requested that I get to see you one last time. There's something that I didn't tell you before I died," he said, looking down at the ground. "I didn't tell you that I love you, Tifa."
My knees began to feel weak as tears began to build up behind my eyes. I stepped forward and collapsed into his arms and was surprised that I didn't fall through him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and stroked my hair with one hand.
"I love you too, Cloud. I never got to tell you either," I said, looking at him with tears running down my face.
"Hey, it's alright. I should have pulled my head out of my rear and told you. I'm sorry," he said, looking down at the ground again.
"It's okay. It hurt when you left but it hurt even worse when I found out that you died," I said, taking a deep breath. "You should have told me you were dieing."
"I couldn't. I didn't want you feeling like you were responsible for me. I know I should have told you, but I couldn't. I didn't want you to worry."
"Well, I worried anyways," I said, laughing a small amount. "I worried about you every second of everyday."
"Thank you," he said, wrapping me into another hug.
He backed away from me then did something totally unexpected. He pulled me forward once again and landed a soft kiss on my lips before backing away again.
Cloud smiled as he played with a section of my hair.
"I may love you, but there's someone here who loves you more then I ever could."
I blushed as I realized what he meant. "Yeah, Vincent told me he loved me."
"Did you tell him?"
"No, he told me last night. I couldn't tell him because, well, I'm still getting over you."
"You need to tell him. He loves you more then you think and he needs you, more then he ever did. I'm giving you an order, Tifa," he said, smiling. "I want you to get over mourning me and tell Vincent how you feel. I have to go now."
I nodded my head. "Okay. Good bye, Cloud," I said, taking my arms away from his shoulders and backing away.
"You'll always be right here, Tifa," Cloud said, putting a hand over his heart.
"And you'll always be in here," I said, doing the same.
He smiled at me once more before vanishing. I stood glued to the spot for a little longer before walking back up the stairs. I was about to walk into Vincent's room when I noticed that the light was turned on. I stopped dead in my tracks, fearful of what I would find when I walked in.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open and found Vincent standing next to his bed, fully dressed with his duffel bag sitting on the bed in front of him. My heart started pounding when I realized what he was doing.
He heard us. He's leaving.
I gasped as he turned around to look at me with tears running from his eyes. I rushed over to his side and tried to tell him but he shouldered his bag and pushed past me.
"Vincent? Vincent, where are you going?" I asked, hysterically as I followed him down the stairs.
"I'm leaving."
"But why?" I said, grabbing onto his wrist.
He turned to look at me with one of his death glares. I stood my ground under it though.
"You're no better then Cloud," He said, ripping his arm from my grasp and turning around.
"What do you mean?"
"You love someone who's gone and you don't realize that there's someone else that loves you more then you could imagine. That's why," he began to turn around to leave but I stamped my foot and raised my voice more then I meant to.
"Then you'll be just like Cloud leaving me behind! You better not leave me behind, Vincent Valentine, or the next thing you'll see of me is an obituary in the afternoon paper!"
He stopped and looked like he was hesitating on what to do. Turn back and comfort the woman you love or leave? He lowered his head and shook it, causing his long ebony hair to fall around his face.
"I was foolish to think that anyone would love me after what I've become. I'm a monster, Tifa. I'll only end up hurting you. I don't want to hurt you," he said, his voice weak.
"I don't care, Vincent," I said, meekly stomping my right foot, fresh tears falling from my eyes. "I need you. Now more then ever."
He lifted his head and sighed. "You don't need me, Tifa. You just think you do."
He began to walk towards the door once more and I began to panic. He was going to leave me just like Cloud did before he died. He was going to leave me, all alone this time. Didn't he hear the entire conversation?
"Vincent, you don't understand!" I exclaimed, jogging after him just as he opened the door.
He dropped his bag and whirled around, the angriest glare I've ever seen painted onto his face. I jumped back, not expecting his expression to be so filled with anger.
"Yes, I do understand!" He shouted, tears falling down his face as well. "I understand that you're in love with a ghost! I meant it when I told you I loved you, Tifa!" He stopped, turning his head away from me and closing his eyes. He took a deep breath and when he opened his eyes again, his expression was once again blank. "I need to go."
"Vincent, please!" I tried again, hoping he would listen. "Don't go!"
He looked at me once more before turning around and walking out of the doorway and shutting the door.
I took a sharp intake of breath as I collapsed onto my knees.
He left me. He left me here alone.
That thought kept spiraling around in my head over and over again. Didn't he say he loved me? Then why did he leave? He didn't even hear the entire conversation that Cloud and I had. If he would have heard the whole thing he wouldn't have left me.
I closed my eyes and began to sob silently. My body felt limp. I'm not even sure if I can stand up. I know Vincent's hurt. That's the first time I've ever seen him cry.
Please, dear God, if you're listening, please bring him back to me. I don't think I could go on living without him. He's the only one I have left now that Cloud's gone. Please, don't take him away from me.
I pressed my palms against the cold wood floor and got onto my feet. I stood with my knees knocking in front of the door hoping that Vincent would walk back in. I stood there for many silent moments but the door remained quiet. I sighed as I turned around and began to walk toward the stairs.
I stopped when I saw a butcher's knife sticking out of the sink. I walked over to it and picked it up. I sat down on a chair at the dining room table and looked at the stainless steal surface of the knife. I twirled it around in my hands and studied the blade.
I wrapped my right hand around the black handle of the knife and brought it to my throat. Fresh tears streamed down my face as I placed the cold steal against my skin. My hand began to shake as I applied pressure to the blade.
Am I really thinking about slitting my own throat? I'm too scared. Why am I doing this?
I opened my eyes and quickly took the blade away from my throat. I put it down on the flat surface of the table and pushed it away from me. I wrapped both my hands around my throat as more tears poured from my eyes. I wasn't about to resort to killing myself. That in itself is foolish.
I slowly got up from the chair and walked up the stairs. I flipped on the light switch in Vincent's room and looked around it from the doorway. I walked to his closet and grabbed one of the shirts that he left. I hugged it to my chest and walked over to the bed. I settled myself down on top of the covers and took in the smell of Vincent's cologne embedded into the fabric of his shirt.
Why did things have to turn out this way? Why did he leave? I know now. I love him. I wish that he wouldn't have left! Dear God, please, bring him back to me!
I hugged his shirt tighter to my chest as I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. Maybe I can go live with Barret until this clears over. Or maybe I can visit Red. I might even go to Wutai and spend time with Yuffie, who knows. If Vincent isn't here with me, I'm not staying here in his house or mine.
I took a deep breath and tried to fall asleep. I was about to drift off when a hand wrapped around my shoulder. I jumped around and almost screamed when I saw Vincent kneeling next to me on the bed. I threw his shirt to the side and wrapped my arms around his neck. He about crushed me when he hugged me but I didn't care. He was back and that was enough for me.
"You came back," I whispered, beginning to cry once more.
"I couldn't leave. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't. I love you more than you could imagine, Tifa. I can't leave you," he said, weaving the fingers of his human hand in my hair.
"And you know what? I love you too, Vincent Valentine. Don't you ever leave me like that again."
"I don't intend to."
I smiled as I buried my face into his hair.
Thank you, Cloud. You'll always be in my heart.
A/N: Awwww! Wasn't that sweet? XD Very angsty though. I think this is as much angst as I've written in one sitting. Well, I hope you liked it. Drop a review my way. I'm trying like a mad banshee to come up with another Vincent/Tifa story but try as I might I can't come up with anything. My idea-o-meter is at zero right now and I struggled like you wouldn't believe trying to finish this story. I hope my hard work pays off. Thank you again to Tifa Carbuncle for giving me the wonderful idea for this last chapter! You're so sweet! I hope you like it!