In Another's Arms
YK2

Dislaimer: I own nada!

Chapter II

"Yuffie!"

She jumped up, startled by Chekov's suddenly loud voice. "Huh? Wha-?"

The woman shook her head, a gentle smile on her face. "You did not hear a word that your father said, did you?"

Her smokey eyes held a mischievous look as she grinned innocently up at Checkov. "Uhm..." The older woman laughed. "Well, he was so boring! How could you stay awake?"

Chekov, knowing the young woman sitting before her, nodded slowly. "And you had other things on your mind. You were not asleep, Yuffie-san, you were zoning out."

Yuffie looked down quickly, studying the wooden table. "Yeah, but I'm not going to talk about it, Miss Chekov." The older woman nodded, waiting for Yuffie to continue. Instead, the ninja stood and walked from the room.

Reno had met her in Junon one day while she was helping Reeve. Reno was the only Turk left and was doing some under cover work for the mayor, Reeve Henley. He met up with Yuffie in a dark alley accidentally. Originally, she was going to hassel him, then take off with all of his materia and gil. How wrong she was. They exchanged insults, but somehow got involved in a conversation. One thing led to another, she glanced at her watch and had to leave. She left him with the knowledge of her whereabouts and a number to call. She was genuinely surprised when he called her one week later, then even more surprised when she spent five hours talking to him. They eventually got tired and set a date and time to go out to dinner at Turtle's Paradise. Withing three months, she had helped him get a job and place to stay in Wutai and they were officially going "steady".

She loved him, there was no doubt in her mind. Then, Vincent...

When she saw the gunman sitting there, reading Reeve's newest collection of Gast discoveries, her heart began to thud very loudly. She could not breathe, she felt as if she was going to collapse, she could not move. When she called out his name, it was meant to be only a thought, but it was said aloud. He looked up and crimson met gray, that old passion, that old longing, returned to herr. Something seemed right about it, yet terribly wrong. Now, she could not even look at Reno. His trusting aqua eyes were so full of love, but they seemed distant once Vincent appeared.

She loved Reno, no doubt about that. But then... What about Vincent?

Leaning on the railing of her father's porch, she stared at the children playing in the streets. With a small smile, she realized that only a few years before, those children would have been forced to stay inside so that the ShinRa SOLDIERs would not hurt them. She, herself, had been one of those children kept inside. More so than the others because the SOLDIERs might have been more inclined to hurt the princess than the other children. They were playing tag, now, the shadows being base. Her eyes watched one little girl in particular. She seemed to have an advantage of speed over the other kids. They were all fast, but she seemed sly, with an added edge of dodging. She evaded every person who was "It", not really taking advantage of the shadow-base.

"Can't catch me!" she taunted, blowing a raspberry at the boy who was "It".

With a grin, Yuffie decided to ask if she could play. "Hey, guys," she called from the steps. All four looked over at her, happy to see their princess once again. "Am I allowed to play today?"

"Of course, Miss Yuffie!" the boy called back; his name was Jerome and he was ten. The girl whom had been watched by Yuffie was Seisten, age ten. The other two were twin boys named Jared and Derek, their parents were from Midgar, and were nine. Jerome reached out and tagged her. "You're it!"

Laughing, she ran after them all, Jerome and the twins immediately heading for the shadows. "Just you and me, Seisten!"

The dark-haired girl giggled and ran, evading every single one of Yuffie's lunges. The princess took it slower than she would have if this were a battle. "Come on, Miss Yuffie! Quit taking it easy on me!" the girl called from a distance ahead of the ninja.

"If I don't take it easy on you, I'll win," the princess shot back with a grin.

"Oh well!"

That was all the permission that she needed. With the sudden burst of energy, she sprinted toward the child. Seisten did not stand a chance, Yuffie was sure of it. But the girl feigned left and went right. Yuffie caught the girl and scooped her up, both laughing joyously. Jerome and the twins rand over, all three laughing that the girl had finally been caught. Seisten hugged Yuffie before leaping from her arms and looking up at her.

Seisten indicated for the ninja to crouch and Yuffie obliged.

"There's a man over there watching you," she told the princess.

Yuffie stood and looked past the four at a man in a suit. His dark hair was nearly shoulder length and back in a ponytail. He nodded to her, but she merely watched him. With a small bow, the man turned and walked away, leaving Yuffie with questions unanswered.

"Seisten, Jerome, Jared, Derek... If you four see him again, run straight home. Got it?"

Jerome watched her skeptically. "Why, Miss Yuffie?"

"Just do it," she told him in a soft but firm voice.

"Okay," they answered in unison.

Vincent looked out of the window to see Yuffie playing tag with four children. The boy reached out and tagged her, then ran for the shadow-base. He watched the ninja chase after the only girl. She had long, dark hair kept back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck and dark eyes. She grinned merrily as she ran, yelling back to Yuffie. The princess said something, then the girl, then the ninja sprinted. He had to admit that Yuffie was great with children. He wondered if she ever wanted kids of her own.

That brought up another subject. He had not seen an engagement ring on her finger, but Reno had told Vincent that they had been together for three years. Did that mean that the red head was going to propose? Or did she not really love Reno? So many questions, all without answers. He had seen the look in Reno's eyes as he looked at Yuffie, but she had been very intent upon her own plate. Perhaps he would stick around long enough for the festival, then leave without telling her how he felt. Surely he could return to his mercenary business without her really caring.

But in that first moment, her eyes were lit with the love he had seen during their AVALANCHE days. He could not just leave without knowing for sure. Did she love him as much as he loved her? Or was that an old memory?

He watched Yuffie stare at someone or something, then lean down and talk to the kids before running a hand through her short hair and walking back toward her father's palace. She leaned on the railing for a moment before walking inside and leaving Vincent with more unanswered questions. He wouldtalk toher before the festival, he decided, then turned to find appropriate clothing.

Green eyes watched her guards and men ready themselves for the festival tonight. She thought that it was humorous, the way they were once firm supporters of Godo, but now they agreed with her. They were tired of not having someone there to protect them. Godo's army was weak, she knew this from experience. Once, she was a warrior for the old man's army, but she had given up on that when they started losing the excitement of fighting ShinRa's troops on a regular basis. She needed something to fight for, someone to fight, a country to rule. Never mind this stupid holiday that the planet celebrated every year. Wutai's old holidays would be no more. She would create new holidays. She would create new people! Down with the Wutains! She woul use them for a while, then they would be slaughtered by her own men.

He first followers were from Midgar. The couple, Tammy and Jim, had moved to Wutai to help with the plans. They were her most trusted fighters. Both had been in ShinRa's SOLDIER program but quit when they realized AVALANCHE had beaten even the fearless Turks. They were ones to betray their country if it meant being on her side. Their children often played with Yuffie Kisaragi, the ruby-haired woman's target.

Take Yuffie Kisaragi, rid herself of Reno and Vincent, take out Reeve Henley and his security... Then Godo would be easy. She would allow Yuffie to live only if she joined the fight. If she refused... The dyed-haired woman would take great pleasure in seeing the princess die.

"They're ready," Tammy said. She wore the normal ensemble of a house wife, her daggers hidden within the pockets of her jeans. Her husband wore jeans and a tee-shirt, his fists being as deadly as his wife's daggers.

"Good," she said with a smile. "All we need is for you to find your children, then. Get them away from the festival tonight, Tammy. We don't want them to see the things that we've seen. You are dismissed to take them wherever, even if it includes you being gone tonight."

The blonde smiled gratefully. "Thanks for understanding, Laura. It's just that-"

"No problem, Tammy," the "boss" replied. "I love the twins as much as you do. They should not be anywhere near Wutai tonight."

Jim kissed his wife goodbye as she hurried to their home to find their twins, Jared and Derek. He did not like them playing games with those Wutain kids and Yuffie, but she had said to let them be kids and have fun. Grudgingly, he agreed. Laura had laughed at him when he told her about it. She also told him to let their kids be kids.

"Ready, Jim?" He nodded solemnly. "Good, because you're leading in the Red Squad this time. I'm taking Blue Squad through the streets after you have taken the rest. Got it?" He nodded again. "Good."

Reno walked toward the palace to get Yuffie for lunch. He cast a glare in the general direction of Vincent's temporary home. He walked into the palace and nodded to Chekov. "Hey, is Yuffie still here?"

"No," the woman replied. "Mr. Valentine came about twenty minutes ago and offered her a lunch on Da Chao." She smiled warmly at Reno. "She thought that you had to work until three, sir."

The red head groaned. "Normally, yeah, but I took the day off to spend some time with her before the festival."

Chekov nodded. "Romantic," she commented. "I am sorry that she left, Reno. If I had known-"

"Yeah, I know. If you'd've know then ya could've bombarded her with work till I got here." She nodded. "By the way, Chekov, I still owe you a thanks for the last time you did that."

She laughed. "Oh, Reno, I love Yuffie as if she was my own daughter. Anything to see her happy."

Reno nodded and said a goodbye, then walked out of the palace, staring at the ground in front of him. Chekov would do anything to see Yuffie happy... But what if Reno was not the one to make Yuffie happy? What if Vincent was the one to make the ninja happy? Would she begin to ignore Reno and help Vincent? Would Reno lose every friend that he had made in Wutai if Yuffie decided to take Vincent instead of him? What was worse, though? Losing all of the people he loved or losing Yuffie?

Yuffie had melted the icy barriers around his heart, taken down the steel walls, caused him to know what life really was! She showed him the beautiful sunsets, the wonderful sunrises, the perfect star-lit skies! She had shown him what life could be like. What love could be like. She loved him and he loved her. Then Vincent... Reno had known that she once liked Vincent, but did she love him? Did Yuffie love Vincent Valentine more than Reno Zanard?

He found himself looking up at the mountain where Vincent and Yuffie were having their picnic lunch. He debated on joining them, hen shook his head. what if Yuffie was just going to tell Vincent that she only liked him as a friend? Then he would screw that up and she would be angry with him for being jealous. He trusted his girlfriend, he had no reason not to. So, instead of walking up the mountain, he strode toward his home, a small hut that he rented from Lord Godo for 30 gil a month. He would make himself a sandwich and watch some television until three o'clock when he would go meet Yuffie at the palace, just like every other day.

TBC...

Banana peel: Sorry it took so long to update. Hope you haven't given up on me yet!

Embrace-the-Darkness: How many pen names d'ya have? Hope ya liked this chappie!

QueenOfTheShadowFangs: I liked yer pen name too... WHY AM I SO UNORIGINAL WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING OUT ME PEN NAME? I'm gonna change it, really, I am! It's gonna be... er... Rayzor! Maybe... Cliffie... HEh, yes it was!

Neko-Yuff16: Evil little rats, Chihuahuas are... Anywho, glad to see yer pen name again! I love it when I see the same names over and over again! That means that I'm not as horribible as I think I am!

G.U.L.P.: Third person, it is! Hope you liked this chappie. Interesting way toget a pen name...

Tael2008: TAEL! HIYA! Glad yer likin' it... Didja know that I'm from eastern? evil grinREAD ONWARD!

NeonRaine: Glad you like it. Third person, my dear, just to keep you from getting confused! Read onward!

YK2: So sorry I haven't updated in, like, a month, but had stuff to do!

Dracon: She was grounded.

YK2: Damn you, Dracon! Yes, I hate being grounded. It sucks big monkey-

Reno: Language!

Yk2: glares

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-YK2 & Co.