Square stuff belongs to square and the rest to me.

Sorry about leaving you at a cliff hanger so I won't keep you any longer : )

Vincent restrained Tifa as she wrenched, writhed and clawed at herself as is she wanted to tear her skin from her body. He watched as she began to change in that all too familiar way. He had hoped her uncontrolled contact with Mako had not affected her as it had him. He held her close as she thrashed.

'Gods let her not be the same as I. Could Hojo's experiments have been that accurate? Please Tifa don't be the same as me, fight it.'

Eventually she went slack and her breathing slowed it had been only twenty minutes yet it felt like hours. Vincent checked to see if she was alright, she was drenched in sweat and blood, her hair was matted flat to her face. The blood seemed to originate from self inflicted injuries, where her claws had dug into her skin.

'A mild cure spell should easily take care of those, the rest of the damage I'll have to deal with when she awakens' The soft green tendrils wrapped around Tifa's wounds as they closed as if they had never been there. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his room, which happened to be the closest.

He tucked Tifa in and began to gently work the gnarls out of her hair. It was almost funny how she could look so serene after shrieking and clawing at herself in agony.

'You never give yourself a moment do you? You have to go right back to being perfect and there for every one but yourself. Fear not I will watch over you, I have been since the day you roused me from my tortured slumber. Did you know you were the first thing to make me so much as stir after I went in there? I lost my heart to you that day... yet yours belonged to someone else. You never did stare at my arm like the others did, or remark about my strange ways. You smiled at me and accepted it; did you think we were kindred spirits as well? Did you ever expect to share the same dark fate as myself? Or is my cure just spreading to you as well. Fear not little kit I will help you fight your demons.'

Vincent leaned and tenderly kissed Tifa on her gentle, full, warm lips. It was brief, yet it lingered on his lips the rest of the night as he quietly sat as her guardian.

'My whole body aches. Am I dead? Gods I don't want to open my eyes I hurt, where am I? ยดTifa opened her eyes marvelling at how soft the hall floor was. This isn't the hall, its Vincent's room?!?!' Tifa tried to gather her thoughts. She noticed Vincent sitting on the side of the bed gazing into space; she knew when he was waiting. He turned and smiled at her. It was odd to see Vincent smile yet still soothing, it was a wide smile for Vincent even though he never showed any teeth when he did.

"How did I get here?" Her throat was parched and it felt as if she had been screaming for hours. Vincent handed her a glass of water.

"I carried you." Vincent stated in his calm straightforward manner.

"Vincent?" Tifa said finally after she had sipped some water and placed the glass on a side table.

"Yes Tifa?" He turned towards her completely as he spoke.

"I'm..." Tifa curled into a ball. "I'm scared... I don't know what's wrong with me." She wept as Vincent wrapped his arms around her, running his golden clawed fingers through her hair.

"What's happening to me? Am I going to die, help me Vincent please help me?'

"Should I tell her, it might make it worse, the more traumatic the emotion the worse it gets. I can hide it from her though, she trusts me if she found out, it could be far worse than knowing. Tifa you can't be a monster, not like me."

Vincent approached Tifa that evening. She was still in his room; she had been terrified to be alone so he had allowed her to stay. He had just finished clearing the dishes from his room from the evening meal. She gazed intently into his eyes.

'How can I look into those beautiful burgundy eyes and hide anything from you Tifa?"

Vincent heaved a great sigh. "Tifa. I know what's wrong with you. You are going to become like me, your inner demons will manifest themselves in your physical form. I'm sorry..."

I hope you guys like this chapter. Sorry it took my so long I've been having some computer troubles. Do you like the new format? Remember I'm always encouraged to write faster with plenty of reviews! Thanks again. My love to Falkon.