a/n Thank you for all my reviews! This is a record for me for one chapter! I thank you all... your reviews were wonderful to me, especially after just coming out of my hiatus. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I'll have one more after this one.

disclaimer I have never and will never own these characters or places. The song used is titled "Goodbye" and it is by Alicia Keys


"Really, Yuffie, why are you like this? Why are you being so distant?" The shinobi turned away from Squall, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. The lion gently dried her tears, peering into her indigo orbs. "I want to know, Yuffs," he told her, grabbing her by the shoulders to keep her from bolting. Yuffie was trembling.

"Squall... I... I'm crying because I know you can never possibly love me. But I love you too much. And..." Yuffie attempted to run, but Squall tightened his grip.

"Yuffs, why do you think that?" Squall inquired softly. The ninja began crying harder. Squall hugged her to him, patting her back. "Hey, hey... just tell me," he said in a soothing tone.

"I'm young, I'm skinny, I'm annoying, and I'm so ugly! I don't even like me!" Yuffie cried.

"Yuffie," the lion whispered, "I do love you." Tenderly, he gathered her in his arms and kissed her. "And I will never leave you."


Yuffie woke up shaking. Her dream had been a memory, the time when she had revealed her feelings to the Gunblade wielder, and he had promised her his love forever. Anger built up inside her small body, and she started punching a pillow on her bed. The shinobi let out a strangled cry, then collapsed into a lumpy mass of heartbroken girl. Though she had tired to convince herself that she no longer loved Squall, Yuffie knew that it was a lost cause. She would never stop loving him.

But how do I let go when I've

Loved him for so long and I've

Given him all that I could

Slowly, Yuffie got up out of bed and stretched her tired muscles. The young woman grabbed a fresh set of clothing out of her dresser, then went into the bathroom and turned on the shower, making the water unbearably hot. She undressed, and then stepped into the hot liquid, shuddering when it touched her bare skin.

"Are you alright, Yuffie?" The young man asked the ten-year-old. She sniffed a few times, then nodded, accepting his outstretched hand.

"I meant to do that," Yuffie informer her friend bravely, quickly drying her tears. Ninjas didn't cry, especially when they were with big, important, strong adults like Squall Leonhart. Or... Leon.

"Of course you did," Leon replied with a small smile on his lips. "The sidewalk just up and tripped you."

"That's right," the girl replied, oblivious to the fact that Leon was teasing her.

Yuffie turned off the water and stepped out of he shower. She took one towel and wrapped it around her head, then grabbed another towel and dried off her body. She dressed in a warm sweater and a pair of jeans, and then ventured outside of the bathroom after drying her hair.

The shinobi traveled outside, thrusting her hands deep in her pockets after stepping into the morning chill. She sauntered over to the fountain and watched as the water spilled over the detailed mosaics in the backdrop. The butterflies danced in the colors of the world, happy, carefree. Yuffie appreciated the mosaic for its beauty, but only saw skin deep. She did not wish to read the undertones of happiness.

Maybe love is a hopeless crime

Giving up what seems your lifetime

What went wrong with something once so good

Yuffie walked to the Gizmo Shop then, and climbed up the ladder to the Bell Tower. She always enjoyed her solace here, now that Rinoa and Squall were officially together. The location helped her hide from Squall, and hide from the realities that plagued her life.

Absent-mindedly, Yuffie tossed a stone over the ledge of the Bell Tower, and then watched as it fell to the hard ground below. She could not see it when it hit the pavement, but she was sure that it had smashed into many different pieces. The pieces probably scattered in all directions from the impact, tiny shards of rock that had once been a whole stone, now separated and destined to become dust on the pavement after feet continually walked over them.

Yuffie had an odd thought, then, and threw another stone over the ledge. This time, she thought of herself as the stone, wondering how it felt as it plummeted to the surface below. She was curious about what it was like to be broken and then stepped on, but she supposed it was an experience somewhat similar to what had been happening in her everyday life. But maybe it wasn't so obvious.

Was falling from a high tower more painful, then, than being smashed into shards by a man you loved? Yuffie thought about this, and then decided that it would only be a different kind of pain. Emotional pain was what Squall was giving her right now, heartaches because of what was happening to her. But physical pain would be what was experienced from the fall. Then she had another thought: would there be pain at all? The fall may just snap your spinal cord, and then it would be all over, no pain. Which would be better than standing around and suffering with Squall.

But I'm not suicidal. I'm not. I wouldn't want to hurt myself like that. Especially not over Squall, Yuffie convinced herself. Still though, she counted the steps from the bell string to the ledge, memorizing the pattern in the stones and the way the building's ledge just stopped, with empty space continuing on for it. The concept fascinated Yuffie, and she threw more stones over the side of the building, observing what was happening, when they hit the ground, how fast they were traveling.

"Leon, what do you say to allowing me to fight off the Defenders by myself next time? I can handle them on my own! They aren't so difficult to beat, once you get the hang of it. And their attacks aren't even that painful. Come on! I can do it!"

Leon shook his head and put a hand on her shoulder, a warning glint in his sapphire eyes. "No, Yuffie. We both know that no one is going to take unnecessary risks with the Heartless. I don't want to lose you, Yuffie. You're everything to me."

Yuffie turned towards him and gave him a tight hug, and his arms squeezed her around her waist. "I can handle it though! We've been training and training and training, and all I get to fight on my own are those worthless shadows. And half the time, you decimate them for me! I'm going to grow flabby!"

Leon laughed. "Well then, that's why we train, so that you don't get 'flabby.' But, seriously Yuffie, I love you and I just want to protect you. I would never want anything bad to happen to you, Yuffs." He kissed her on the tip of her nose.

"Okay... just checking."

The ninja returned to her room at the Hotel, still thinking about all these things, new information mixing with old in her head until it was a jumbled mess of ideas and memories.

Yuffie sat on the ledge of the Bell Tower, Squall next to her, sifting his hand through her ebony locks. The shinobi was content where she was, watching the stars with the man she loved. It was all so romantic. She had been living on a dream cloud for a long time now, and she wasn't sure if she ever wanted it to stop. It was hard to imagine an end to this type of paradise.

"Do you ever think of Balamb, Leon? Do you think about your old friends when you were younger? Do you ever wish you could go back?" Yuffie inquired quietly, wondering what the answers to these questions would be. She was curious, as he didn't mention his home world much. It was a place of mystery to Yuffie, and she wanted to find out more about it.

"Yes... I think about it a lot. I grew up there... was pulled away from all my best friends at your age. I had so many great friends there... Selphie, Zell, Rinoa... even Seifer in a way. I miss them all. They were all I had for many years. Until, that is, I found you, Yuffums." He hugged her, but he still seemed distant. There was a bit of silence between them.

"But you didn't answer my last question. Do you ever wish that you could go back?" This question was important to Yuffie, and she needed to hear Squall's answer.

"Yes," Squall whispered quietly. "Yes, I miss my old life. I love my new one, but... sometimes I just wish that I could have lived a normal life on Balamb without the Heartless."

"Oh," Yuffie replied simply. She was disappointed in his answer. Would he rather return to his old friends than stay here with her, his love? Which was more important to him? Yuffie hoped that he would never have to choose.

Angrily, Yuffie threw a shuriken at the wall. It stuck into the plaster, and Yuffie didn't even bother to go and get it. It could stay there forever, for all she cared. Let the Hotel staff take care of that. Yuffie didn't really feel like fixing the problem.

"Damn you, Squall," Yuffie whispered venomously. She heard Rinoa's falsetto laugh in the hallway, and cringed. It was a noise that already grated on the ears. Yuffie just wondered when they would leave and go back to their precious Balamb. Then, the shinobi could finally be rid of them.

Yuffie thought of her own home world. She didn't know much about it... the details were hazy and distant. She believed that it was called Wutai, and that both of her parents had lived with her until the Heartless came. She could distinctly remember the young man who would visit with her parents and always gave her candy. He was tall, dark, and handsome, with striking crimson eyes, and the young Yuffie was awfully impressionable. She couldn't quite remember his name, though.

All I have are hazy memories... Yuffie thought with a sigh. I can never go back, and I will never get to see my parents again. The ninja was envious of Squall, how he could just pick up with the people he left off with. Yuffie would never get to see anyone from Wutai ever again.

Angrily, Yuffie went out on the balcony and climbed up to the roof of the Hotel. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop across the Second District, and finally settled upon the roof of the shoe store. No one ever looked for her up here. It was the one place that was all hers.

"I have to let Squall go," Yuffie mused aloud, "but I don't know how. It's hard... especially when I still love him so much. Why can't I just forget about him?"

Is this the end are you sure

How should you know when you've never been here before

It's so hard to just let go

When this is the one and only love I've ever known

It was then that Yuffie knew what she had to do. Maybe insanity drove her to it, but... it was what she had to do to finally rid herself of this nightmare. And maybe it would make Squall think about where he went wrong.


Squall got back into his room, leaving Rinoa at the Accessory Shop to talk with Cid. Rinoa was sweet, but she could sure talk a lot. Squall was finding that it grated slightly on his nerves, not like Yuffie's hyper banter. Yuffie had been interesting to listen to... he could actually laugh around her. He banished those thoughts to his mind.

A flash of blue caught his eye, and he turned towards the table, where a small paper crane sat. Yuffie made origami a lot, and he saw that this was another Yuffie masterpiece. There was a note tucked safely underneath, and Squall gently lifted up the crane and pulled out the note.

"Squall... meet me at the Bell Tower at 3:00. Please do not bring Rinoa. I need to talk to you."

It wasn't signed, but Squall knew who had written it. He glanced up at the clock, and, seeing that it was 2:45, exited the Hotel to get to the Bell Tower. He wondered, along the way, what Yuffie wanted to talk about.


Yuffie swung her legs over the edge of the Bell Tower, and waited for Squall to come by. She had a stomachache, and was very nervous about what was going to happen. She tried to assure herself by throwing stones over the ledge again, watching their fall. It'll all be okay, Yuffs.

How do you find the words to say

To say goodbye

If your heart don't have the heart to say

To say goodbye

"Yuffie," Squall said from behind her in his deep voice. Yuffie jumped, and turned around, finding herself looking at the bane of her existence, the love of her life... She took a deep, shuddering breath and stood up, unable to meet Squall's beautiful, piercing eyes.

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" He inquired softly, reaching a hand out to touch her arm and steady her. She slipped away from his hand, unwilling to feel his touch.

"I wanted to talk to you about our relationship... or what it was. What it used to be," Yuffie began. "Just hear me out," she told him when he began to protest. He nodded, and leaned against the far wall, gazing at her from under long russet locks of hair.

"Squall, it really hurt me when you brought Rinoa here. I mean... really hurt me. How could you do that to me? That was a rotten thing to do and you know it! How do you think I feel after we were together for months, and then you suddenly show up with a new girl? Even if, as you said before, we were never in love, you should still feel some remorse for just dumping me like that. That was awful for me."

Squall didn't answer, just stared at her. Yuffie glared and continued. "And then you aren't even sorry, you don't apologize, you just make excuses for yourself. Which is a very cowardly thing to do, Squall. I never thought that you would be a coward, but I suppose I see it now."

Squall growled. "How is what I did cowardly? Yuffie, I didn't love you! I still loved Rinoa, and when I found her again, I was overjoyed. I was doing the easiest thing and just letting you go. I was trying not to hurt you so much."

"BUT YOU DID! And finding the easiest route is so cowardly, Squall Leonhart. Don't deny it. You and I both know it. And by running, you hurt me more. How do you think I felt when you gave me no answer for getting rid of me? When I was just gone from your life like that... it made me feel like I had done something wrong. I know now that I didn't. You were the one who screwed up."

Squall stood up. "What did you want me to do, Yuffie? Come crawling back to you? I know that's what you wanted, but you can't always get what you want! When I saw Rinoa, I saw my old life, and I wanted her. Why can't you just accept my happiness, Yuffie? If you cared about me like you said you did, then you would want what's best for me!"

Yuffie stepped over to him and slapped his cheek. "You selfish bastard! You still think the world revolves around you. Well it doesn't! Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't revolve around you at all! You can't always think of yourself. And I will never accept the fact that you chose Rinoa over me. How do you think it makes me feel?"

Squall didn't answer. Yuffie let tears slide down her cheeks. "Yeah, it makes me feel like crap," she whispered. "Because I really thought that you loved me. And then I find out that you didn't... it broke my heart, Squall. And everyday I see you and Rinoa together is another day that I end up asking myself what I did wrong."

"Yuffie," Squall began, reaching out for her. Yuffie stepped back. She was now very close to the ledge, one step away from falling like the stones had.

"No... don't even try to talk to me. You've broken my heart, and..." Yuffie was at a loss for words. Squall didn't attempt to get any closer. How do I say this? What should I do? This is hard...

How do you find the words to say

To say goodbye

If your heart don't have the heart to say

To say goodbye

"Squall... I love you..." Yuffie closed her eyes for a moment, then gazed straight into his sapphire orbs. "Goodbye."

Yuffie took a quick step backwards so that Squall could not grab her. The air rushed past her, and she fell with speed. Freedom from her troubles rushed through her veins, and she smiled slightly. No more Rinoa... no more Squall... it was all going to be okay. She imagined herself as one of the stones.

Falling... falling... falling... falling.


a/n Review and I'll love you forever.