A/N: Bleh….bleh bleh bleh. TI will never be able to make this as long as the other! I just re-opened it, and it's 10 pages! 10! I'm such a loser, I'll never do as well as that first part. I am a crappy writer, craptastic, totally and absolutely sucky! Er…now that I've gotten that out of the way…On with the pitiful amount I managed to type, ruthlessly killing my fingers in the process! Man…putting the same amount of detail in this is hard…- That 80's song, "under pressure" is pounding in my brain right now. Sorry it took so long to post! Oh, I changed a bit in both previous chapters. Nothing worth re-reading it for, just some spelling crap that I caught while re-writing.

I was reading on a website I go to for writing help…of course I still suck, but hey, I'm only 15 soo…anyways, I found this incredibly cute quote on the "Perfect Hero" by Teresa Meridos. "A romantic hero, no matter how flawed, should always be willing to run into a burning building to rescue a basket of kittens."

PS: How I rationalize the "Demon claw" being fake, if you see the Dirge Of Cerberus Offical Vincent Action Figure, on the palm side you see the bronze is attached by small rings to the gloves…so, it's fake. Bwaha!

Reviewer Responses (Short 'n Sweet):

Neko-Yuff16 Haven't you said that before? It looks so familiar…

Noriko -Yeah and now you know how the welty's go away. Thank you so much, and I'm glad you love the CT fluffiness.

Commander Cheddar Okay, okay, I'm SORRY for the short chapter. Sheesh. If you REALLY like SV, why don't you review it? Hehehe, thank you for your shameless flattery, I'll make this post longer, I SWEAR, if only to appease you.

NeonRaine Another Fujin clone! Hehehe, it's not bad, but all it is is a 'update soon'. How do I know what I did wrong?

VAOS Your name is too much to type.. Nah I just don't feel like putting in stuff. I will continue! See? CONTINUATION!

Emri Believe me, I even posted the doll photo's on my blog. I WANT DOC SO BAD! If you knew anything about my Vincent obsession you would not have had to ask any of that XD. As for the last part…. Belittling myself is fun?

PS: Have I mentioned that you're the best reviewer EVER?

Part 8

12:43 a.m. Midgar Ruins Fifth Plate, Upper Level. ShinRa Bar. 2nd Floor, Guestroom 102-A.

"And behind the sky, in the tomorrow my heart depicts,

In that same place, I'll be right by your side once more,

Surely we'll be together from now on, plunging ahead through these days,

Because there could be a meaning to all of this after all…"

(Nami Tamaki - Believe)

Sleep…." Tifa murmured, gently placing her hands upon the smooth black hair, strands falling limply between her fingers, over and under, tangling themselves naturally. The sound of jingling was heard, echoing in the pressured silence of the room, the noise as Tifa's materia bangle shook, the bright green orb shaking dutifully as it was activated. A greenish light of comfort sped over the tiny ninja's body, and she went limp, relaxed, and the spell was so heavily casted that the one who had used the spell was assured her target would not wake from her dreamless rest until a counter spell was used. Looking, almost with a reprimanding gleam in her wine colored eyes at the two men behind her, the woman stated "Well, you know you can go now, right?" Cloud, who obviously was only meaning the best, replied with, "You might need help Tifa, I mean, you've never had to do this before. It's only happened once in the group before, and then, it was something small like a cut on the arm. I want to make sure that nothing goes wrong."

A sort of grumble escaped her ruby lips, sounding like something among the lines of, "Oh really, let's see YOU do it…" before she said clearly, though her voice a bit shaky, "Fine, but don't stare." Reaching her hands into the hot sterilized water, Tifa cringed as the steamy, poignant smell of medicinal liquid enveloped the nostrils of those who inhabited the room, the thick mist enveloped Tifa's pale fingers, heading straight down towards the searing water. Biting her lower lip, setting her jaw, she plunged the digits in, knowing that to perform something so dangerous one must prepare themselves fully. Any tiny infection could be fatal in this procedure, as was proven in many ancient civilizations. Tifa remembered reading about them once, when she was younger, still in school in Nibelheim. The texts had been boring then, but now she realized their importance, especially in the face of saving comrade.

Grasping the knife in red fingers, feeling the pinpricks as blood rushed into the digits, she drew it from the steamy mess and gasped as the cool air chilled the heated flesh. The red intensified to the color one gets during an infection, that inflamed red, the kind that was obviously painful for anyone who even bared to look at it, and behind her, she could sense Cloud's discomfort in watching. "If you don't want to see…" she said in a more stern voice than normal, the pitch dropping lower as she gasped in pain, aware of the thousand needles of pain now ruthlessly covering each millimeter of exposed, reddened skin. "…Than don't watch." She finished, using a tone that meant there was to be no further discussion, like a mother scolding a small child. Cloud opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by a slight shake of Vincents head, smooth ebony hair falling about his scarlet cloak, uncovering that red eyed glare that kept many a man silent on numerous occasions.

Looking down, Cloud merely clenched his fists, feeling his short, chipped fingernails cut through the glove tips into the incasing leather sheathe upon his palm. It was like he could feel her pain, the inner turmoil, the pain of the water, the pain of their friend as she lay upon the bed, and Cloud wanted nothing more than to rip the hilt of the knife from her fingers and do the job himself. Beside him, Vincent watched eyes flickering back and forth between the brunette and the swordsman. Suddenly, Tifa's pensioned exclamation ceased his wandering mind. "I'm sorry Yuffie…" She spoke the three words in little more than a whisper, her back turned towards them, over the tiny shinobi. He watched with macabre curiosity as the knife led a silvery path towards the girl, then winced inwardly at the sickening sound of steel cutting flesh seemed louder than anything they had ever heard before. The overwhelming scent of blood caused Vincent to stagger back mentally, though his body stayed obediently in place.

A choked noise escaped Tifa's lips as she watched the blood, thick and hot, pour from Yuffie's tiny body, a seemingly endless amount of red, surely far too much for someone of her stature. Almost immediately Tifa tried to harden herself from the sight, for god knows she had seen worse happen to complete strangers. She tried, choked back the nausea, the bile rising in her throat, tasting its bitter flavor upon her tongue, and reached for one of the prim white towels. Pressing it to the cut, she felt it grow damp beneath her as blood soaked the fluffy white cotton. "oh god…" she gasped out when she pulled the cloth away, seeing that the two by two cloth was almost completely soaked with the scarlet liquid of life.

Turning away, she whispered throatily, "Cloud….this is horrible…there's so much...so much blood…" Immediately both men were at her side, each with their own unique expression of horror. She had not known where to begin, and therefore, Tifa had started with the largest of the cuts, unfortunately located near a vein. Blood had gushed out in result of this ignorance. Trembling, fearing that she had done something bad, Tifa stepped back, her eyes wide and empty. A warm hand, comforting and large pressed against her back. Looking up, her body still trembling, Tifa's eyes locked with warm blue ones. "It's okay...she'll be okay Tifa.."

"I will take it from here. Take your leave." A low, cold voice stated near her side, to the front by a few feet.

"Vincent?" Tifa turned towards him in shock, seeing his hands move slowly upwards to grasp the buckles on his cloak. Excruciatingly slow and thorough with the task, Vincent removed each brass buckled strap that held the red cloak to his face, his eyes emotionless, blank. Pulling off the cloak slowly, Tifa watched as his face was gradually exposed, his neck, shoulders…then it was off. Vincents cloak had been removed, his protection, his outer shell. Black cotton was revealed, his shirt, crisp and clean despite the battles they had endured, mild wear its only noticeable reminder of use. A high collar, almost Wutain style as it ended halfway up his neck, pieces of a whole bound together with polished, shining black buttons that neared the white hemming. The hem extended around the neck, moving down his chest more to the right, every half-inch or so another black button gleaming slightly in the light.

Sleeves, like that of a dress shirt, a little loose, though only to serve for more of a form fit, cut off at the elbow, brought in around the last few inches, like a cuff of sorts. His hands, pale and smooth-two hands? "Vincent-your claw-where-" She gasped out, Yuffie's pain pushed momentarily out of her mind. Eyes fixed momentarily upon hers, and he merely said "It's not needed." Nothing more, nothing less. A direct statement, using what was needed, and only what was needed. Vincent never was one for idle chitchat.

"Tifa…lets go." Cloud said, a bit forcefully, willing the woman to move. He was as shocked that their stoic companion had willingly offered to take care of the matter, maybe, quite possibly more so than Tifa, and more than shocked at the removal of the claw and cloak. She remained fixed in her position, eyes still wide as saucers, disbelief written all over her face. "This isn't real…" she whispered. "This whole day…it was just a dream, was it not? Cloud.." she whispered, her wine orbs closing in pain. "It's a nightmare…I-" "Shh…come on." This time, not taking her stiffness as an answer, Cloud gently steered the woman from the room, pulling the door closed behind him. As the final inch slid shut, Cloud whispered lightly, sure that the gunman heard his words, "Good luck."

As with you, Cloud. Vincent replied mentally, dunking his pale fingers into the steamy mist that covered the porcelain bowl. He scrubbed them thoroughly in the still hot water, each crevice in his fingers, each calloused, each millimeter of perfectly pale skin scrubbed to pink clean perfection. Taking the knife in his fingers, Vincent prepared himself to complete the task that Tifa had begun. Removing the towel to reveal the already clotted blood caked upon the cut, he noticed tiny pinprick sized droplets forming once more where the towel had removed parts of the still soft scabbing. Four more of the same. "…." Grimacing, he brought the sharp steel down, a slow motion sweeping arc, cutting the tender skin beneath just beneath her shoulder in one smooth motion. He watched with little interest as blood flowed freely, its rich scarlet color staining the skin that it kissed with its flowing touch. Taking another of the towels, Vincent carefully wadded up one end, eyes calculating the pressure needed to safely administer the thick cloth.

Part 9

1:32 a.m. Midgar Ruins Fifth Plate, Upper Level. ShinRa Bar. 2nd Floor, Guestroom 133-B.

"Tifa, calm down! It's going to be okay!" For the fifth time since he had dragged her to this room, Cloud was restraining the brunette bombshell with all his strength. His arms surrounded hers, gripping tightly, digging into her firm skin. The intimacy of the position, while normally would have been noticed, noted, and furthermore quickly ended was unnoted now, his front to her back, arms encircling tightly. She struggled wildly, her voice rough as she cried, again for the fifth or so time, "Damnit it's been too long Cloud! If anything happens to her, it'll be my fault! Let me go! Let me check up on her!"

Turning her swiftly, Cloud wrapped his arm about her slender waist, holding the woman firmly against his chest. She beat at his statue-like figure ruthlessly before going limp, her fingers clutching into the soft worn material of his shirt as tightly as she could, sobbing quietly, tears streaming down her face. He felt the warmth of the salty liquid as it soaked through his thick sweater shirt, darkening the spots it touched, from the Soldier purple to an almost ebony color. "Oh god, Cloud, I-" He nodded slightly, resting his chin upon the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair as he stroked her back with reassuring hands. "It's okay. I don't think that Vincent would let anything happen to her." Suddenly, he heard the slap of her fist as it pounded her palm. "If something does happen to her, " she commented with a half joke, though he knew as well as her she was completely serious, "I'll kill him." He nodded, taking the opportunity to nuzzle a bit into her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her rose shampoo deeply, before setting her back a bit, his hands gripping her forearms tightly.

"Tifa.. I know you're worried…but you have to trust that she'll be okay. Yuffie is strong, like you, and she wouldn't give into death no matter what. They'd have to drag her, kicking and screaming all the way if they wanted her that badly." he heard her give a sort of giggle, choked a bit from her tears but amused none the less. "That's the Tifa I know.." he said, gently nudging her face up with a finger below her chin. She had not noticed the movement, the way he had once again slid close to her, this time warmly embracing with one arm, the other slyly moving towards her face. She looked up again, seeing that look again. Those vibrant mako blue-green eyes, the emotion that they held in the gaze was one that would mark a woman's soul. Blushing, she tried something, anything to get away. Tifa was afraid, afraid of heartbreak, of loving him too much, the leader whom she had admired throughout her entire life, the seemingly rock solid man who had more cracks than anyone could ever had imagined.

But she felt as if she were a pebble constructed monument, and that with one tiny slip, one wrong word, she would shatter, into a million pieces, flying away upon the zephyr of a thousand ages, joining the ashes of those who had come long before. Desperate, she turned her eyes away, breaking the spell that those incredible eyes had spun. "Cloud…" He would not let her hide. Backing her against the wall, Cloud pinned her swiftly, and using both hands, he forced the woman to look at him once more. "Tifa." Verbal tag was not what he had wanted, and by god, Cloud was going to get Tifa to tell him what really was disturbing her if it took all night. "It's not just Yuffie that has you worried," he said firmly without any other sort of preamble, "There's something else. I've noticed lately that something is nagging you. Tell me Tifa, what is wrong? We're friends, right?"

We're friends, right? Tifa let out a broken sob. She didn't want to be 'friends' with Cloud strife. Damnit all, it was going in circles within her mind. She was so confused, so very confused, and the closeness of Cloud, the feeling that he was surrounding her, did not help one bit. "I don't know Cloud, honestly I don't…" she whispered, lids falling down to mask the pain in her eyes. Suddenly, she could feel his breath upon her face, could smell his musky scent stronger than ever. The sensation of his hands running down her arms made Tifa feel giddy, strange, embarrassed. Wine colored eyes slowly gazed upwards, found that Cloud's nose was near her forehead. His lips, smooth and a shade darker than his skin, gently pressed against the spot between her eyebrows, the sensitive skin where her nose ended and her forehead began. He had just kissed her. Repeat, Cloud Strife, had just kissed Tifa Lockheart. In her mind, it did not matter that he had kissed her forehead, it was still a kiss and a kiss was surely a form of intimacy…Wasn't it? "Cloud-" His lips gently caressed the bridge of her nose, and he stroked her hair gently, cupping her face with his left palm.

"Again with the verbal tag, Tifa? Be quiet, will you? You're beginning to sound like Yuffie…" He whispered, smiling down at her. Tifa was about to make a retort, miffed at the teasing he had playfully bestowed, opening her mouth to speak when his mouth covered hers. A silent gasp as his lips slowly pressed against hers, sliding like silk upon silk, smoother than the finest woven cloth. Clouds other hand slowly moved upwards, electric in its touch upon her trembling skin. Her eyes widened as he cupped her face now with both hands, turning her head a little for better access to her mouth. Her mind, somewhere among the melted bits, tried to rationalize this before she silenced it ruthlessly. Tifa had never been kissed, and hadn't expected her first to be so…thorough. Wondering whether to try a protest, or wrap her arms around the man. So many idle day dreams about her first kiss, each different than the last, no matter how romantic any had been, it didn't compare. Blushing, Tifa let her eyes slide shut, and placing her hands upon his chest, they ran upwards to encircle his neck before pulling the man closer.

Part 10

2:07 a.m. Midgar Ruins Fifth Plate, Upper Level. ShinRa Bar. 2nd Floor, Guestroom 102-A.

A sigh of relief made its way through Vincent's lips as he set aside the paper wrappings, having just completed the bandaging of Yuffie's injuries. The worst was over, and though the girl had lost quite a bit of blood, with time she would recover..physically anyways. Moving to the bowl of water, Vincent picked it up tiredly, carrying it towards the bathroom. Once inside the prim white porcelin room, he dumped it into the large luxury tub, pouring the contents and the bowl into the steamy water. Beneath the bubbles of the disenfectant wash that had been added, the towels could be seen, the red stains slowly disappearing. The slight scent of bleach added a twang to the disinfectant, both killing any bacteria or germ that may or may not be harmful. Moving towards the sink, the glow in his eyes almost completely faded, the only real way that one could tell his exhaustion. Grabbing the soap from the side of the sink in one hand, Vincent turned the chrome plated tap to the right, and almost at once steaming hot water poured, splashing into the depths of the sink before swirling down the drainage system.

Momentarily, Vincent could see it again, Yuffie's tiny form as she disappeared, the spray of water over the edge of the steaming cauldron, the way she had looked when he had found her… When knocked out, her face held none of its childishness, only once hidden stress lines and a halo of maturity. He had thought her dead, though obviously that was untrue. When those silvery eyes had opened, before they had cleared of the foggy mist of one who had reached the shadows of death, he had noticed an overwhelming dispair and fear within their cloudy depths. "…" Were you not the same, Valentine? Beneath that stone faced façade, were you not fearful of her life? Even when she began to regain a bit of her strength, did it not frighten you when she tried to move, causing you to drop her? And when Tifa so unskillfully sliced too close to that vein-Vincent silently reprimanded his mind, sealing it with a shake of his head. Moving his hands beneath the stinging hot water, Vincent vigorously washed them before removing the appendages from the stream, watching as the water sluiced and dripped off the pale, slightly pink skin.

As Vincent turned towards the door to wipe his hands upon the fluffy soft, white towelette that held the ShinRa insignia in the lower white corner, something in the doorway caught the attention of one of his vibrant red eyes. The sound of wheezing caught his ears, and as he stared at the figure, it took a step forward, becoming enveloped in the flourescent white light, unlike the dull lamps that had lit the other room. "Yuffie-" Turning towards him, the girl stumbled forward, a look of desperation on her face. "Vincent!" Moving quickly, he caught her as she fell towards the floor, lifting her effortlessly. "Yuffie, should you not be resting?" She gripped his shirt weakly, almost as if in protest as he lay her once more upon the bed. "It hurts-" She stammered, refusing to let go. "My back is….on fire…" He gently managed to pry the digits from his shirt, settling her back. Her tiny hands clutched his now, and tearfully, she whispered, "Don't leave me.. Please! I'm afraid….I'm going to die…"

"Sleep…"The spell washed over her, and with a flump, Yuffie fell back against the thick pillows, unconscious once more. "…I won't let you die Yuffie.." Came a silent whisper as the lights faded along with the consciousness of the man who slumped down next to the girl. Exhaustion overtook Vincents body, and like his tiny charge, he slept.

A/N: It's longer, it is…and wow, almost six pages. The fourth chapter should be out soon! Love love to everyone who has reviewed, and I'll see you….whenever I finish the next part. I swear I'll make it at least 7 before I churn it out, okay? Smooches to you all!

I AM Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing!..okay not really. Love, Rei-chan.