Disclaimer: Oh, thank you everyone for all the reviews! It's so inspiring! Well, here's chapter eight! Hee Hee. In this chapter things start to get a little bit warmer between Vincent and Tifa. Please let me know if the OOCness gets out of hand. I'll fix it immediately. Until then read, review and be happy!

I arrived at Cosmo Canyon at about seven in the evening. I tried talking to Vincent but he had a far away look in his eyes and didn't answer me.

I spent the majority of the four months with Seta, helping take care of the cubs and letting Nariko and Seto get used to me.

Then, one night, a few days before I was leaving for Wutai, I was sitting in front of the Cosmo Candle, playing with Nariko and Seto when Vincent came and grabbed me by the hand and lead me to one corner of the canyon.

The cubs ran after me of course and followed Vincent and I. When he stopped and turned around I almost gasped. He had a look of desperation in his eyes that I thought was totally un-Vincent like.

"Vincent?" I asked, looking into his eyes with concern flooding mine. "What's wrong?"

"I cannot deny my feelings for any longer, Tifa. I tried to tell myself that it would only lead to you being hurt, but I cannot deny it. When we separated after Meteor, it felt like a part of me had died. I longed to see you with ever fiber of my being but I didn't know where you had gone. When you came to Nibelheim that day, I felt nothing but joy over seeing you again. I should have been more open with you and I shouldn't have made you talk about Cloud. I didn't know it would upset you that much. I'm sorry."

He bowed his head, allowing his long hair to cover his eyes. I was taken aback. I never thought in a thousand years that Vincent would spill his soul to me like that. Nariko and Seto were rubbing against my legs and meowing, asking to be picked up. I bent down and picked up the small cubs in my arms and squeezed them lightly. They purred as they licked my face and snuggled into my arms.

I looked up at Vincent to see him looking at me with moist eyes. Then, he did something EXTREMELY un-Vincent like and kissed me. Yes, you heard right. Vincent Valentine kissed me.

I was so surprised at first that I almost pulled back but instead I relaxed and let him gather me into his arms. I would have wrapped my arms around his neck if I didn't have the cubs in them. He deepened the kiss slightly before pulling back.

"If you wish to talk more I will be up in the Observatory," he said, walking past me and disappearing.

I was shocked. I gently brought one hand up and pinched my cheek to make sure that that hadn't been a dream. Then, two small voices jarred me from my quiet revere.

"Auntie Tifa, what's wrong?" Young Seto said, putting his small paw gently on my face.

"Yeah, what's wrong, Auntie Tifa?" Little Nariko said, copying her brother.

I looked down at them and smiled. "Nothings, wrong. Wanna go play some more?"

"Yeah!" They both said in unison as I set them back down on the ground.

I followed them back to the Cosmo Candle and giggled as they played 'pounce' with each other. I sat back down on the red clay colored dirt and watched them roll around. Every so often they would run over to me and jump into my lap then jump back out and race around the fire.

After about twenty minutes of watching them play they came and crawled into my lap, falling asleep as soon as they did so. I carefully picked them up in my arms and carried them back up into the Observatory where Seta was watching the other cubs play. Naava ran up to me, requesting to play with her sister, but when she saw that she was sleeping she went back to playing with Nova and Kayo.

I laid the cubs next to Seta and quietly left the Observatory. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the tap.

I walked out of the kitchen and gingerly sat down on the couch, staring at nothing in particular. In a few days, I was leaving to go back to Wutai with Nariko and Seto and somewhat continue my way of life. I didn't know what Vincent was going to do. Maybe he'd go back to his life in Nibelheim and forget all about me. But how could he do that when he confessed his heart to me a half an hour ago? Some things in life just don't make sense and this is one of those things.

"Tifa?"

I jumped slightly as I looked up at Vincent. I smiled sweetly as I got up from the couch and stood in front of him.

"What's up?" I asked, maybe, a little too cheerful.

His face seemed to grow serious as he looked away from me. He looked back at me a few moments later and took a deep breath.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to be leaving for Nibelheim when you go back to Wutai."

My brow furrowed as I looked into his eyes, trying to register what he said. I lowered my head and looked at my glass of water.

"Okay," I said, looking back up at him. "Will you be alright?"

He seemed to ponder this for a bit before answering.

"Yes, I will be fine."

I nodded and smiled as I finished the rest of my water and looked at the clock. It was almost 10:30 and I was spent. I stretched my arms above my head and climbed the ladder up to the second floor and collapsed on the bed.

Just imagine. I'll be taking Nariko and Seto home with me for nine months! Yuffie'll probably go nutty and baby them. Red even told me not to coddle them. If we do they'll grow up to depend on others for survival. I'll have to tell Yuffie that ahead of time.

I sighed as I rolled onto my back and looked at the ceiling.

I wonder what Vincent will do when he has me out of his hair? He'll probably go back to the same routine before I stumbled along. But there was that kiss thing. I don't know what to think about it. Yes, I think he feels strongly for me but I really don't think I could call it love just yet. And it was hard just to figure out that one piece of information. Vincent's like a safe. You gotta have the right combination to open him up and I don't got it.

I looked over at the ladder just as Vincent appeared and stepped off. He looked at me before walking over to the couch, taking his cape off, lying down and staring at the ceiling.

I yawned then put both of my hands behind my head, crossing my feet right over left and swung the right one in the air. I wasn't ready to turn in just yet.

"Tifa?"

I looked over at Vincent to find that he had propped himself up on his elbow and was looking at me intently.

"Hm?" I said, raising my eyebrows.

"I was just thinking. Did you believe anything I told you today?" he asked, with a little hope in his voice.

"Well, it depends," I said, getting up into a sitting position.

"Meaning?"

"Well, I've come to the conclusion that you've either felt obligated to have these feelings for me or that they're genuine. I believe neither."

"Why is that?" he asked, with confusion present in his voice.

"Because. No one, not even Cloud, has been that straight forward with me. Especially when they have feelings for me. I just find it too good to be true."

A look of realization came over his face as he looked away from me. He nodded before getting up from the couch and coming to sit next to me on the bed. He looked into my eyes seriously as he spoke.

"I meant every word of it, but I know you could never have feelings for something such as I. I came to realize that long ago. Way before I told you. I just wanted you to know that Cloud wasn't the only who cared about you."

For the second time that day, I was at a loss for words. Vincent had struck a chord yet again. He began to lean forward to kiss me but a small voice from the bottom of the stairwell made me back away from him.

I went to the edge and looked over it. Little Nova was standing at the bottom of the stairwell with his front paws on one of the spokes. He had a frightened look in his yellow eyes.

"What's wrong, Nova?" I asked him, concern filling my voice.

"I had a bad dream," he said in his tiny voice. "I didn't want to wake Mommy or Daddy. Can I sleep with you?"

"Of course. Hold on," I said, swinging my legs over the side and descending the ladder.

As soon as my feet hit the floor Nova's front paws were on my shins. I reached down and collected him into my arms as I began to climb back up. I walked over to the bed that Vincent was still sitting on and he made room for me to sit down.

Nova smiled at Vincent as I set him in my lap.

"Hi, Unca Vincent!" he said, in his squeaky little voice.

"Uh, hello," Vincent said, not sure how to greet the tiny creature.

"Are you gonna sleep with Auntie Tifa too?" he asked, cocking his head to the left slightly.

He chuckled lightly as he looked up at me and smiled. All I did was smile back and look down at Nova. Vincent shook his head.

"No, I let Tifa have the bed. I sleep on the couch," he said, pointing to it.

"Oh," he said, looking at it. "Well, that's good cause I want to sleep with Auntie Tifa!" He exclaimed happily as he turned around and seemed to hug my abdomen.

I smiled as I picked him up and held him at eye level. He giggled slightly as he put both of his tiny paws on my face.

"You're just too cute!" I said, putting my nose on his.

"Yeah, I know," he said, licking my face.

"Well," Vincent said, getting up from the bed. "I'm going to turn in."

"To what?" I asked, joking around with him.

He raised an eyebrow at my statement that wiped the silly smile clean off my face. I put Nova down on the bed and got up to stand in front of him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his eyebrow still raised.

"It's supposed to be a joke. You know, cause you said you were gonna 'turn in.' Well, 'to what?'"

My guess would be that he didn't get it because his expression didn't change. I sighed as I picked Nova up and pulled back the sheets. I looked at Vincent as an idea came into my head. I silently whispered something into Nova's ear and carried him over to Vincent. I held him up to Vincent who took him reluctantly.

He cradled him gently in his muscular arms as he looked at me questionably then looked down at Nova.

"Loosen up, Unca Vincent."

Bingo. That did the trick. Immediately after I had Nova say that he busted up laughing. I jumped back and looked at him like he had lost his mind. Then he handed Nova over to me as he turned around and collected himself.

"I am sorry for that outburst," he said, turning back around apparently back in 'macho' mode. "That was very unorthodox of me."

"No kidding," I said, still looking at him with a surprised look still on my face.

"Well, today has been a trying day and I wish to get some sleep. I will see you in the morning," he said as he turned around and laid back down on the couch. I nodded to myself as I climbed into bed with Nova. After I turned the lights out Nova tapped me with his paw.

"After Unca Vincent falls asleep I want to tell you something," he said, quietly enough so only my ears would hear it.

"Okay," I said, as I pretended to fall asleep.

A few minutes later Nova tapped me with his paw yet again and silently announced that Vincent had fallen asleep.

"Are you sure?" I asked, making sure I wasn't too loud.

"Yep. Positive."

"Okay, so what did you want to tell me?"

"Well, earlier today before you got back with Nariko and Seto, Vincent came in and me, Naava and Kayo asked him if he likes you," he said, keeping his voice hush-hush.

I stifled a small laugh as Nova continued.

"Then he told us how beautiful you were and that he didn't want you to leave and go back to Wutai and that . . ." he paused as I saw his small yellow eyes look over my shoulder to confirm that Vincent was sleeping. ". . .and that he loves you."

My jaw fell open when Nova spoke those three words. I tried to act like it didn't affect me in the least until Nova asked me the one question that I dreaded he would ask.

"Do you love him, Auntie Tifa?"

I stayed silent for a few moments, wondering what I should say. Yes, Vincent is very attractive and very sweet to me but I'm not sure if I could love him back. I'm not sure if I'm capable of loving anymore.

"I . . . uh, I don't know just yet. I'm not sure if I can," I ended, hoping Vincent was still in Dreamland.

"Oh," Nova said, kind of disappointed as he snuggled up against my chest and went to sleep.

Little did I know that Vincent was still wide-awake.