Tseng lead Tifa to the third floor of the Mansion where the tour of the house would begin. They passed through at least ten bedrooms and five small parlors that looked as if they hadn't been used in ages until they came to a long dark hall in the front of the house with pictures and marble busts of people from times long since gone.

Tifa stood in awe of the artwork and the history in front of her that stretched for at least half the house. Tseng watched her curiously for a moment before clearing his throat, shaking Tifa from her trance in the process. Tifa made her way down the hall asking questions that Tseng could not always answer but tried his best to please her.

Finally they came to the last and newest picture; it was of a young woman who looked no older than Tifa. She had long curly brown hair and bright green eyes with a coy smile that promised fun and trouble all at once. She was dressed in a long pink off the shoulder ball gown with a full skirt and small beaded flowers scattered on the bodice. The girl was unadorned except for the heart-shaped locket around her neck and the pink rose she held over her right breast. In short she was beautiful. Without turning around Tifa asked softly,

"Who was she?"

Tseng opened his mouth to answer but before he could the deep voice of Vincent rumbled out,

"Her name was Lucretia; she was my younger sister."

Tifa had jumped slightly at Vincent's unexpected voice but calmed quickly enough to ask,

"Was? As in past tense? What happened to her?"

Vincent closed his eyes and leaned against the opposite wall before beginning the sad tale of his sister's demise.

"My sister was...words cannot describe her. She was perfect right down to the freckle on her nose. She had this aura that made people around her happy and loved, much like the vibe you give off, Tifa. Anyways, it was her 19th birthday when that picture was painted, it was the day she met my friend Professor Hojo Von Drake. Hojo was no great looker, he was skinny and nerdy but what he lacked in physic he made up for in charm. He was so good, he charmed my sweet innocent sister right into bed that night and it was all done under both Sephiroth's and my own eyes."

Vincent paused for a moment and Tifa noticed how tightly his fist was clenched and the way his breathing had become heavier. Worried she laid a hand on his shoulder and nodded for him to continue.

"The next morning she told what she had done and I was ready to rip Hojo's head off, but she stopped me and gave me some nonsense about how it was her choice and that she was going to continue seeing him. He and I were not on good terms after that and Sephiroth was so livid he couldn't even speak to Lucretia without yelling at her. After six months of this torture Sephiroth finally noticed the swelling of our dear younger sister's belly; she was pregnant. Sephiroth had this horrified look on his face before storming out the door to go and retrieve Hojo leaving me with a crying Lucretia. I tried to console her but she just sobbed harder; apparently Hojo didn't know yet.

"Sephiroth came back with the sniveling coward and threw him to the floor in front of Lucretia and told, more like yelled at him, that she was six months pregnant and that he was the only possible father of her child. I remember the smile that crept onto her face when he didn't deny it and the total hopelessness when he walked out the door. Seph and I tried our best to make her stop crying but it was no use. The next morning Sephiroth found her body hanging from the chandelier in the main hall. That was five years ago. We never did find Hojo, but if I ever do I will string him from that very same chandelier and leave him there to rot."

Another long pause followed before Tifa wrapped her arms around Vincent's waist in a sympathetic hug. Vincent stiffened momentarily but returned the hug with a gentle squeeze. A few moments passed before Vincent broke the embrace and said in a much calmer voice,

"My brother sent me to find you; he is waiting for you downstairs. Apparently we are going to retrieve your friends sooner than expected."

Although Tifa was saddened by the tragic tale of Lucretia the thought of seeing Sephiroth again and going to pick up her friends lightened her mood considerably.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Come on!"

Tifa slipped her right arm through Tseng's and her left through Vincent's before making her way merrily down the steps to Sephiroth. By the time they reached the bottom Tseng and Vincent had Tifa laughing with stories of their days in the military together. Sephiroth raised an elegant eyebrow but soon found himself smiling as Tseng told the familiar story of Vincent's prank on Sergeant Lewis.

Finally Tifa was able to stop laughing long enough to walk with Sephiroth to the airship and get a quick kiss before boarding with him close behind her. Tseng, Reno, a tall dark man, and a woman that could only be Elena all boarded quickly after, but Vincent paused a moment to look back at the third floor where the picture of his sister was barely visible from the front lawn.

"I will have my revenge, Hojo, for both Mr. Lockhart and Lucretia."

AN: Hopefully I'll be able to spit out a longer chapter next time. Expect some plot twists coming up soon but Hojo won't make an actual apparence for awhile, like at least four more chapters. Please review, I don't care if you flame the hell out of me just so long as you review!