That night, Vincent slept and wasn't tormented by horrid nightmares of his past. Nor did the voices wake him. Instead, he awoke softly, feeling as though it had been the first time in years that he had slept soundly. Silence was all he could hear.

There's someone in your house…

He jumped at the sound of the voice within, nearly knocking his head on the walls of the coffin. He groaned and rose from his bed, reluctant to take a stroll. But Vincent knew that his voices did not lie.

And so in an instant he was ascending the stairs, spiraling up. It was so dark in the room once he made it to the top. Thin beams of moonlight shone across the room through the holes in the heavy curtains. It was nighttime…

Darkness… so dark…

His eyes searched across the room until he saw something. There was a lump under the blankets on a bed. Vincent blinked, unable to move as he watched the sleeping form.

"Tifa?" he snapped, his heart pounding.

She stirred under the blankets and rolled over to gaze sleepily at him with tired eyes. No… tear filled eyes. Vincent stared at her with his own intense eyes.

"Why are you still here?" he asked coldly.

Tifa rubbed her eyes and slipped out of the bed calmly.

"I was worried about you and I didn't want to leave," she spoke hesitantly, unsure of how he would take her words.

Dispose of her… now!

No…!

"Why would you worry?" he asked, remaining where he stood while Tifa strode toward him in the shadows.

"Why wouldn't I?" she countered, standing before him with her hands behind her. She bit her lip and felt herself blush.

They stood motionless in the darkened room for many silent moments. Vincent could only hear Tifa's calm breathing as he held his breath. This was torture… to stand alone in the dark with this woman that persistently cared for him.

Take her into the darkness…

Make her feel as cold as you do…

Vincent tore himself away from her presence and stumbled recklessly down the stairs. His heart was racing as he fled… racing from the haunting voices in his mind. His sudden movement must have frightened Tifa though and Vincent felt sorry for her.

He had been afraid something like this would happen after Meteor… that one of his companions would try to be friends with him and try to pull him out of the darkness he'd encircled himself in. And it was happening… dear Tifa was only trying to make friends with him and he was fleeing for his sanity. Or rather… insanity.

Vincent stopped in the black corridor, catching his breath and listening as the following footsteps grew near.

"Vincent!" she called out from down the corridor, "Vincent, please don't run away!"

Her voice seemed so far away… like an echo from heaven… Yes, that was it. She was from heaven, she was here to burn him off the face of the earth for his dark sins.

…so dark… so cold…

Vincent crumpled to the floor, feeling the icy cold stone on his cheek. The voices and nightmares were consuming him… the demons were eating away at his mind once again.

He could faintly hear the footsteps draw near, so close… she must be standing right next to him. Yet he only saw black and only heard screams from inside.

"Oh, Vincent!" he could hear her cry, "What's happened…? Vincent? Wake up!"

She was kneeling beside him now… her gentle hands on his shoulder.

His mind was spiraling out of control…

"Goodnight…" he whispered softly, and then he blacked out.

Cold… cold and alone… in the dark… the darkness… so cold… so numb… I can't find my way…

Tifa?