Well, I think I'm finally almost finished with this.  The thing is, I keep coming up with ideas and more stupid situations to put Cid and poor Vincent in, and I really don't know how to end it yet.  But, we'll see.  Again, sorry for taking so long to update, but things have been REALLY busy around here.  I've got school, a new job and a senior project, which is ALL writing, so this story kind of got left in the dust. Okay, I'm putting away the violin.  I'll try not to neglect this story so much in the future.

Oh, and zac, I know you've been waiting a long time for an update if anyone has, so my humblest apologies.  This chapter's dedicated to you!  Enjoy! ^_^

CH.9 

            "I can't believe you, you bastard!" Cid yelled angrily at Vincent.  Vincent sighed and flopped down on his bed, exhausted as usual after turning into Chaos.  He had flown back to the Highwind with Cid and would have ripped him apart right there if he hadn't calmed down enough to turn back into his old self.  'Too bad.  I could have put myself out of my misery,' Vincent thought to himself.  Now Cid was throwing a tantrum and massaging the arm that Chaos had so roughly held onto while escorting him back to the ship.

            "You damn near ripped off my arm, ya little shit!"  Cid yelled.  Vincent sighed again, and sat up tiredly. 

            "Cid, does it hurt that much?"  Vincent asked in a concerned voice.  Cid pouted.

            "Yeah, it hurts that much, you bastard," he replied, a little taken aback by the genuine sound of concern in Vincent's voice.

            "Come here," Vincent said, motioning Cid to his bed.  Cid stiffened a little. 'Damn pretty boy, making me nervous…' Cid thought.  "Oh what am I thinking?" he mumbled.  "This is Vinny."  Cid slowly walked to Vincent, and sat down next to him.  Vincent looked up at him with his tired red eyes and gently took Cid's arm in his good hand.  Cid tensed up again.

            "Cid," Vincent said quietly.  "If it hurts so bad…THEN USE A GODDAMN CURE MATERIA ON IT, AND LET ME SLEEP!!!"

            Cid jumped, more than a little startled. He stared dumbfounded at Vincent, scared that he was going to turn back into Chaos any second.  Instead, Vincent sat there, grumpy as ever, but visibly tired.  Cid found his composure, lit up a cigarette and pulled out a cure materia that he always kept on him. The pilot cleared his throat and sat at the edge of Vincent's bed, quietly smoking and letting the cure spell and nicotine work their magic.

            Vincent heaved a sigh and flopped back onto the bed.  All was quiet between the two for some time. Finally a small chuckle was heard from Vincent's pillow.  Cid raised an eyebrow and turned his head to Vincent, who was beginning to laugh harder and louder by the second.  It didn't take long before Vincent had nearly rolled off of the bed in a fit of hysterical laughter.  Cid scratched the back of his head in confusion. 

            "Ummm, Vinny?"  Cid said, unsurely.  Vincent just laughed harder.  "Vinny?"  Cid continued.  "This is kind of creepy even for you.  Hell, it's even creepier than usual coming from a guy like you…Vinny?"

            Tears streamed down Vincent's face as he continued to laugh.  Cid sat there, wondering what to do and wondering which was scarier: Chaos, or a happy Vincent. 

            Cid gulped.  "You're not gonna kill me, are ya Vinny?" Cid asked in a small voice.  Vincent laughed even harder at this, pounding his fist onto the mattress with glee.  Cid shifted uncomfortably, not sure if that was a yes or a no, or if Vincent had just completely lost it.  Finally, Vincent gained enough control over himself to speak.

            "Cid," he started.  "You've got to be the most ridiculous, the most insane, the most bizarre…"

            "I'm insane?"

"…whack job I've ever known!  And I knew Hojo, for crying out loud!"  Vincent began to laugh insanely again.

            "…whack job…and you knew Hoj-hey!"  Cid said, offended. 

            Vincent sighed, his stomach aching from all the laughing.  Cid just sat and smoked, still trying to comprehend the fact that Vincent was just laughing, and quite heartily at that.

            "You need some fuckin' therapy man," Cid finally concluded.  "You're emotionally unstable and dangerous to be around, ya know?" 

            Vincent chuckled again. "You know, that's the most I can ever remember laughing," he told Cid.  Cid looked back at his friend, who was actually smiling. 'Maybe he won't kill me after all,' Cid thought hopefully.  Strange as it was to see Vincent smiling, especially after a hysterical laughing fit like that, Cid was glad to see it.

            "Well, ya really should lighten up sometimes, ya know?" Cid replied earnestly.  "I know ya been through a lot, but, hell…"

            "It's nothing compared to what you've put me through.  Or worse yet, what Tifa will put me through if she ever figures us out," Vincent interrupted, his smile broadening.

            Cid chuckled. "Well that's true, but I was going to say, that's life, ya know?  You can't let it keep ya down forever." 

            "There are too many boobs to grope, too many stories to get to the bottom of," Vincent continued, with a quiet chuckle.

            Cid smiled at him.  "Ya see?  You're already a grade-A smart ass."

"Not only do I get to help save the world, I also get to dig for the cold hard truth…or should I say soft, warm truth beneath Tifa's bra," Vincent continued.  "Not bad for a guy that just spent the last thirty years in a coffin." Cid laughed. 

            "See?"  It hadn't occurred to him just how close this whole stupid mission had brought him to his usually reserved friend.  'At least the poor guy can remember what it's like to really laugh again,' he thought to himself.

            "Cid?"  Vincent said after some silence between the two.  Cid turned to him.

            "Yeah?" He replied. 

            "Thanks."

            Cid smiled.  "Yeah, yeah. Don't get all mushy on me, Valentine."

            Vincent nodded, still smiling.  "Well, what do you think we should do next?"

            Cid stared at him.  "You mean…you still want to…?" 

            Vincent shrugged.  "We've made it this far.  Hell, it's kind of fun even."

            "Vinny!  You little sonuvabitch!  You really mean that?" Cid asked, ready to grab Vincent and squeeze him.

            "Yeah.  We have to get to the bottom of this, right?"  Vincent replied, more than a little amused by Cid's childlike excitement.  'If this weren't Cid, I'd be quite disturbed,' Vincent thought.

            "Hell yeah, we gotta get to the bottom of this!" Cid practically squealed with glee.  With that, he finally did grab Vincent and gave him one hell of a bear hug.

            "Okay, Cid.  (cough)  That's enough," Vincent choked out.  Cid let go of him, and practically danced to the doorway.

            "You're tired, and probably, from what I've seen, slightly delusional, so I'll let you sleep for now.  But tomorrow, we'll be cookin' up plan D, so get plenty of rest!"  Cid said gleefully.

            "Umm, actually, I kind of already had an idea," Vincent replied.  Cid stared at him, his eyes wide with pride, as though he were a father that just witnessed his son's first home run at a little league game. 

            "Oh, Vinny!  I'm so proud!  You thought up a plan all on your own?"  He asked, looking strangely touched by the very idea of it.

            "Umm, yeah," Vincent replied, edging away from Cid, just a little.  "I'm thinking that Cloud might be up for some drinking tomorrow night.  You know, a night out with the boys?  Maybe after a few drinks he'll be, well, I guess you could say 'open' about what he must obviously know about Tifa's, you know…"

            "Puppies!" Cid finished excitedly.

            "…uh, yeah," Vincent replied.

            "Oh this sounds good, Vinny!  Come on, out with the details!"

            Vincent yawned.  "Tomorrow.  I'm really tired.  But I'll fill you in after breakfast.  This may just work."