The trip to Nibelheim took no more then a half an hour. I put Seraph in my dad's old chocobo stable behind my house then walked toward the old mansion.

I pushed open the old door and looked around. There was a chandelier above the staircase that had many brightly lit candles in it. Proof that someone was home.

An idea popped into my head and I walked into the small side room on the left. Stooping down, I picked up the crumpled up piece of paper that Hojo left behind to find Vincent. I set the paper back down and climbed the stairs, heading for the small greenhouse.

I found the chest and looked on the lid. It read 'Right 36.' Smiling to myself I went back down to the first floor and entered the room that the old piano was in. I kneeled down and looked at the floor under the piano. 'Left 10' was scratched into the rotting wood.

I climbed back up the stairs and entered the room that led down into the basement and counted five steps left, nine steps up, two steps left, and six steps up. My foot landed on a squeaky floorboard and as I looked down I saw 'Right 59' written on the floorboard with ink.

Forgetting where I was I jumped into the air and let out a loud 'whoop.' Realizing what I just did, I slapped my hand over my mouth and looked around cautiously. Frowning, I took my hand away from my mouth and looked at it funny.

Why did I do that? Who would hear me in an abandoned mansion? Well, besides Vincent. If he's even here and that's a big IF.

Shrugging, I walked back inside the room and pushed open the stone door that leads down to the basement. I came to the door that leads into the library only to find it locked or sealed shut. Confused, I stepped back kicked it. Sending the rotting wood of the door shattering into a million tiny pieces on the floor. I looked down at it before walking into the library.

It hadn't changed much. The old musty smell of dust and old books still hung in the air. I looked over to the right to find the two mako pods were gone as well as all of the scientific equipment. I shrugged it off as I walked to the back of the library.

I stopped in front of the large desk that, the last time I saw it, had papers and books strewn about it. All the books had been put back and all the papers were stacked in neat piles on its surface.

I was about to turn around and leave the mansion, figuring Vincent wasn't here when I felt someone behind me. It wasn't like I knew someone was there, it just felt like there was a presence besides me in the room. Figuring I was just imagining things I turned around and slammed into a red and black wall. I shrieked in surprise and jumped back, throwing my fists up in a defensive position.

I about had a heart attack when I saw that it was Vincent. My jaw dropped along with my hands as I looked at him.

"Vincent! Why didn't you tell me you were there?!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air for emphasis. "You just about made me jump through the roof!"

He cocked an eyebrow and stared at me in silence. I tried to make out some kind of response or emotion by looking at his eyes but without being able to see his mouth over his cape it turned out to be a lost cause.

Then as if someone flipped a switch, he turned around and began leaving the library. I stood there with a look of confusion in my eyes before I jogged up to catch him.

"Hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where are you going?" I asked, having to power walk just to keep up with him.

"You're going to need a place to stay for the night," he said, neither acknowledging I was behind him or looking me in the eye. "You can stay in one of my guest rooms."

"Whoa, whoa! What happened to the wanting to talk with me?" I asked, stopping. This is when he stopped. He looked back at me like he didn't have a clue to what I said. Then he nodded his head.

"Yes, your are correct. I wanted to talk with you about many things, but now that you are here I don't really know what I wanted to say," he said, before walking off again.

Me, I just stood frozen in place. What he said reminded me about the time when Cloud told everybody to go find what they were fighting for. Cloud told me the same thing that Vincent just told me. Even though he's been dead for almost a year, it still hurts to think about him and what we could have had. But thinking back on it, it would have been too good to be true if it did happen. I never really saw myself as Cloud Strife's wife or girlfriend because I knew that even I couldn't get someone like Cloud. In my opinion, yes, it would have hurt me immensely if by some chance Aeris lived and her and Cloud got together but I would be happy even though I wasn't with him. Sometimes I think that I'll never find someone.

I sighed as I followed Vincent up the rotting steps that led back up into the mansion. Once I reentered the East Wing, I found him off to my right, making the bed. I was quite surprised on what he did with this place. He cleaned the place up and it looked pretty damn good. Much better then what I could have done.

Trying to make conversation with the King of Quiet, I walked up behind him and watched him as he worked. I thought for a second on what to say as an idea popped into my mind.

"I really love what you've done with the place," I said, turning around and inspecting the room. "It looks a lot better then what it did a year ago."

I looked back at him, expecting an answer only to find myself talking to his back. It was like he didn't even know I was there, which I thought was extremely rude. But then again, I never pictured Vincent as someone that does all the talking. He's just one of those people that are better at listening then anything else. Just like Aeris was, but she always had some kind words after you got finished spilling your soul to her.

Having finished his work, he backed up off the bed and left the room. I followed him out and into the West Wing where he went into another room that was very eloquently furnished. He walked over to the bed and began fixing his as well.

"Well, uh, Vincent, if you don't mind I'm gonna go feed Seraph then grab myself a bite to eat. But you don't have to make a bed for me. I could stay in my old house."

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked, straightening up and looking me in the eye.

Shocked that he actually replied to one of my comments, I froze before continuing.

"Well, I wouldn't want to feel like I'm intruding," I said, putting my hands behind my back and tapping the toe of my left boot on the floor.

He cocked an eyebrow at my statement, seemingly wanting me to explain myself a little farther.

"Well, you know how you like quiet and your privacy and all, I just thought that I'd leave you to it," I said, ending lamely.

Vincent stifled a small chuckle. He walked toward me and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You're not intruding at all. I would be very . . .uh, happy if you stayed here tonight. Food isn't a problem either. I have enough food in this house to feed all of AVALANCHE and their family members and still have leftovers. Go ahead and go feed your chocobo and by the time you get back I'll have something made for you."

I smiled as I looked into his eyes. I nodded and tucked some stray strands of hair back behind my ear.

"I'd love that."

He nodded as he walked by me and disappeared. I stood stationary before walking out of the mansion and toward my old home.

Seraph acknowledged my presence by warking happily and flapping her short, flightless wings. I entered her stall and took off the reins, saddle and blanket then filled the two troughs in the back of the stall with water and greens. She walked over and began to eat while I put down some fresh hay for her to sleep on. I patted her on the head a few times before exciting her stall. I began to walk back to the mansion when it crossed my mind that Vincent probably wouldn't be ready yet, so I walked around the front of my house and entered.

I flipped the light on in the living room and looked around. Last time I was here, all I did was play my piano to get my Level 4 Limit Break. I walked over to the fireplace mantel and looked at all the pictures that adorned it. All of them were there, even the ones that my mom took as she watched me train with Zangan. The Shinra employees may have been able to restore the town, but I can't figure out how these pictures are here. I turned the lights off and left my house. I began to walk back to the mansion before something occurred to me once again. I reopened the door and reached my hand around the door knob and locked it. I didn't want anybody else besides me in this house because they'd probably throw everything of mine away and I didn't want that. I'm the only one who has a key to the house anyway, unless someone breaks in.

I, once again, began walking back toward the mansion, convinced that nothing else would stop me. I almost fell over when I entered. The smell of Fettuccine Alfredo filled the air as I walked around the house following the smell. I walked into the piano room and found that Vincent had set a table up in front of the large window in the back and had put a small candelabra in the middle of the table.

My jaw dropped as I looked over at the old piano where Vincent was seated. He didn't notice me because his eyes were trained down at the ivory keys as he swept his fingers along their surface. I covered my mouth with my hand and let out a small cough. He looked up from the piano and his face immediately brightened as he walked towards me. He opened his mouth to say something but I held my hand up and stopped him.

"You really didn't have to make a pasta dinner for two, you know," I said, looking from him to the table in the back.

"I feel obligated to," he responded, looking deeply into my eyes. "You are a guest in my house."

He reached out his human hand and I sheepishly took it as he led me to the table. He went around to the left side and pulled the chair away from the table as he motioned for me to sit. I sat down and scooted myself closer to the table.

My goodness, Vincent is such a gentlemen! Why didn't I get to know him sooner? He's treating me like royalty and he hardly knows me.

He walked around to the other side of the table and turned around as he messed with something on his shirt. My eyes widened as I figured out what he was doing. He was taking his cape off. Vincent Valentine was taking his cape off. He draped it across the back of his chair as he turned around and sat down.

That's when I looked away.

Oh my God! He's gorgeous! Why didn't I ever notice this before!? Just calm down, Lockhart. He's probably never taken his cape off in front of other people so this may be a big step for him. Just be cool, confident.

I looked back at him to find him staring at me with one eyebrow raised. I pursed my lips as my cheeks flushed a deep red.

"Anyway, thank you for making this. It's my favorite dish," I said, smiling sheepishly.

"That is why I made it. It is my favorite also. Go ahead, eat," he said, pointing to my fork.

I slowly picked up my fork and began eating. Vincent is an extremely good cook; I'll give him that. What does he do? Take cooking lessons?

I was so engrossed in my thoughts and concentrating on looking at my plate that I didn't notice Vincent had stopped eating. I swallowed my last bite and looked up at him. He was staring at me. Feeling very self-conscious of myself I picked up my napkin and wiped my mouth.

"So, how do you like it?"

"It's very good. I didn't know you were such a good cook. You could teach me a thing or two," I said, smiling.

He set his fork down next to his plate and leaned back. He began scanning the room with his blood red eyes like he was searching for something.

"So, Tifa, what brings you here?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of his muscular chest.

I looked away from him and down at my plate. "Well, for the past year I've been living in Wutai with Yuffie."

I looked up at him to try and find some response to my whereabouts. The only response I got was an eyebrow raise. So, I continued.

"Anyways, I opened a bar and hired a few hands to help me. Everything was great, until word got to me that Cloud died." I stopped and looked down at my hands, feeling hot tears begin to well behind my eyes. I closed my eyes and wiped them with the back of my hand before continuing. "He impaled himself through chest with his sword. It was hard the first few months. I never even got to say goodbye."

That's when the tears came. I tried to hold them back but they flowed from my eyes like a geyser. Not being able to handle Vincent watching me cry I got up from the table and turned my back to him.

I heard Vincent get up from the table. I half-expected him to leave the room because I didn't see him as the kind of person that would comfort someone when they were crying.

I almost jumped when he stopped behind me. My brain was telling me to turn around but I stayed just as I was with my arms at my sides, shoulders slumped. I cringed slightly as I felt the cold metal of his claw rest on my shoulder followed by his human hand. He began tugging at my shoulders, coaxing me to turn around.

That's all I needed.

I whirled around and threw my arms around his neck, burying my face into the cloth of his shirt. I felt him stiffen up underneath me but I really didn't care. If he didn't want me hanging on him he shouldn't have tried to comfort me because when I cry I get clingy. Ask Yuffie she'll tell you.

After a few moments he loosened up and wrapped his arms around me. That's when I couldn't take it anymore. It reminded me too much of when Cloud would hold me. I squirmed out of Vincent's grasp I began to walk out of the room before I stopped and looked back at him. A confused and extremely hurt look was on his face. Looking at him then to the table we were sitting at only a few minutes before I spoke between sobs.

"I'm really sorry, Vincent," I said, choking out the words. "I just can't take it anymore. Thank you for the lovely dinner. It was delicious. I'm going to go to bed. Good night."