Dream
"Squall, let me down! I can walk!" a seven year old Yuffie retorted, her words following her actions as she squirmed uncontrollably in his arms.

Gripping her tighter he replied "no" He was scared, heartless were taking over Hollow Bastion, and they had to get to Cid's gummi ship before it was to late. "When we get to Cid's, I promise" he said breathlessly as he ran out the castle doors. "SQUALL LEONHART!" He abruptly stopped recognizing the voice as his commander, Sephiroth. What did he want at a time like this? He turned around slowly fearing the worst. "Sir?" he said as he say the one winged angel made his appearance through the smoke. "Where are you going with my Yuffie, Squall?" he said calmly

"Sir?" Squall said confused 'His Yuffie?' "I don't understand, Hollow Bastion is overrun with heartless, I'm taking Yuffie to the gummi ship. We have to leave sir" There was something different about him, something...almost evil. He laughed coldly.

"You don't understand do you Squall? 'I' made this happen, 'I' control the heartless. I'll be taking Yuffie now, I will have her forever" Sephiroth commanded. Gripping her even tighter, hoping Yuffie wouldn't complain, or do something stupid. But she didn't, he spared a glance at her at seen she was frightened horribly, and he finally noticed she was shaking.

"Don't let him take me away Squall" She whispered, tears coming in a steady flow "please" What had happened between those two before? Squall had a vague idea and anger rose that Sephiroth would do such a thing to a child.

"Are you going to refuse my command Leonhart?" Sephiroth said frostily " Do you dare refuse it?"

" What have you become Sephiroth?" he sputtered, gaining momentum backwards.

"I didn't want to hurt you, I was hoping you wouldn't make me. You're so protective over her... Oh right, you're her guardian now correct?" Sephiroth sighed well muttering words under his breath. Sudden fire engulfed him and he felt the weight of Yuffie being lifted off of him

"Yuffie..." he whispered before blackness took over.

End Dream

Leon woke with a start. Beaded with sweat, he through off the blankets and sat up. ' Why am I having these nightmares?' Yuffie was dead. They all knew it, yet Leon kept having dreams about her. She would silently slide into his head during the day, and return in his dreams at night. He never mentioned it to Cloud or Cid. Not even Aerith, though he was sure that she knew what kept him awake at night. She seemed to know everything without ever asking.

He sought blindly in the dark towards the shower, even though the clock said it was five o'clock, he wasn't about to go back to sleep. Finally finding his way to the bathroom he turned the shower on full blast, cold water. He needed to get his head cleared of her.

After about 20 minutes, he stepped out into the street, deciding to take a walk. The heartless would help clear his mind. He needed to concentrate on something else. Walking into the third district of Traverse Town, he walked up and waited for a defender. Soon enough, he heard the 'clank, clank' of the defender coming, warning of a battle. Leon sliced at its back with his gunblade, taking his time in defeating it. It was over too soon and he still had Yuffie on his mind 'Dammit Yuffie! Your killing me!'

''GO AWAY!'' he yelled gripping at his head. He tried to think of something else. Anything else. Something to take her away, her smile, her eyes, her always-upbeat attitude. 'Ok, calm down Leon, think of something...like...what's the date today?' he dictated to himself. Momentarily taking his mind off Yuffie, trying to think of the date, he walked absent-mindedly into the first district into an alleyway.

"November 20!" he said almost proudly. But Leon never showed emotion, and quickly covered up with a stone cold look. 'November 20th? Why does that sound familiar? Something important today? Somebody's birth—' Leon froze. Today Yuffie would have turned eighteen. She would have been an adult today. He felt his knees get weak 'Look what you do to me, you make me powerless' Leaning against a wall, he slipped to sit down. Closing his eyes, he felt tears burn behind them. He scowled, 'its been eleven years, get over it, she's gone, she's not coming back. You're a coward; you can't let go of the past. Your weak, you promised you'd never be weak again. You're hopeless. You idiot, stop talking to yourself.' He flipped his eyes open, hearing sudden movement beside him. " Who's there?" he growled angrily. 'This better be good'

He got up, not hearing any response " WHO'S THERE! SHOW YOURSELF!" He hollered irritably. No response, he walked around the corner, his eyes screening the streets like a animal looking at its prey. From the corner of his eye, he seen a flash of color, and he heard the stomping of boots against brickwork. "Hey, get back here!" he called, running around the corner. He saw no one around, 'Great I'm seeing things now?' Turning around to walk to the café and see if he could find Aerith and Cloud, he saw a glimpse of green hiding behind a box in the alley. Walking over, he crouched down to retrieve the object. Turning it over with his hands, his eyes became wide. It was a headband, a green one, and he knew who it belonged to. 'No it can't be' but aloud he said

"Yuffie..."

'OH Shit! He knows me? But from where? He looks familiar, who is he?' Panic slid over her, engulfing her. She was on top of a roof; if he looked up, he's see her. Yuffie prayed he wouldn't. She couldn't handle it; Sephiroth was probably out looking for her right now, and probably pissed as hell. 'Good, buy me some time' she sighed as he took her headband and went off at a dead run. Towards a café across the street. Crouching down, she watched who he walked to, showing him her headband. His companions' eyes widened and the girl turned around. She was wearing all pink, she was crying, and Yuffie gasped. "Aerith?" she said, a little loudly.

She clamped her hand over her mouth as all three of the people turned their heads at her voice 'Shit! Now look what you did you idiot!' she screamed at herself, crouching down lower to stay out of sight. She remembered them now, all of them, the blonde spiky was cloud, the pink flower girl was Aerith and the tall brunette was Squall. 'My Guardian...I can't take this, I don't care if they see me, I have to go through those doors, I have to find someplace where there is no one' Silently, she crawled off the roof, creeping along the wall 'At least Sephiroth taught me a couple good things, to be a better ninja' she thought bitterly. Reaching the doors she pushed through them and took off at a dead run. Ignoring the shouts from Cloud and Squall, and the scream from Aerith as they seen her run through. Thinking quickly she jumped off one wall and rebounded off the wall of a house, landing on the roof of the house closest to the doors. (A/N: I don't know how to explain it, have you ever seen bulletproof monk? When Kar is trying to get through Jade's window? And he jumps off the walls? Yah well that's what Yuffie does) It was good timing on her part, right after she crouched down, Squall followed closely by Cloud and Aerith. Aerith was crying freely now, and Cloud was tightly holding her by the hand.

"You don't suppose we imagined it do you? It would be Yuffies' birthday today. Maybe we were all just wishing she was here" Squall said monotone.

"Leon don't be stupid, of course she was here," Cloud said, while trying to sooth Aerith

'Leon? Since when did he change his name?' Yuffie thought 'Maybe I should say something, just give myself up. More protection from him' She was about to get their attention when Aerith talked for the first time since Yuffie had seen here.

"I think I need to go lay down. I can't handle this" silently in a whispered voice, she indicated that they should all go. Cloud, being overly concerned with Aerith, agreed immediately. Squall she noticed was hesitant, 'He was always persistent' she recalled. If he wanted something, he got it.

"I'll be along in a bit," he said with his usual demeanor

"She's a ninja Leon, expert at quietness you know? You wont find her" Cloud uttered but was quickly silenced by a glare of daggers by 'Leon'. Cloud and Aerith left silently. Yuffie stayed quiet this whole time, her legs weren't even aching from being in that position. Probably from being used to hiding for long periods of time from Sephiroth. Squall – err Leon 'Whatever' thought Yuffie, continued to make an eye search for her. Taking a step every few minutes. 'Move along' she thought 'Go away' Giving up the search 'Whatever-his-name-is' looked down at his hand which was clenched around her green headband. 'Crap! I forgot he had my headband! I'm going to have to get it back now' She heard him speak then, with a voice that surprised her because it sounded almost like he cared. 'But he's like a rock, no emotion'

"Yuffie...where are you?"