Hey Everyone! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. It's been half a year now, I think, but I don't plan on letting it go so long again. I do have an excuse, I was in for surgery. It was to do with my throat, and well...the healing process didn't go as well as planed. Five days after the surgery all the skin on the back of my throat ripped off, I went into shock and I was hospitalized again.. Trust me, one of the most painful moments in my life..

Anyway! I'm up and well now. Oh, and a tip of advice to anyone out there going in for surgery. Don't try to write when you're still on the painkillers... Wow, the strange things I came up with…

:P

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The light of a candle danced along the walls, the flame flickering like a butterfly in the wind. Vincent watched as the light reflected off of his claw, like rippling water. Reno had offered to let them stay in his house for the night. Normally Rufus would have insisted that they stayed at an inn, but all of the rooms had been taken by the time they arrived there. Reno home was small, barely large enough for Reno himself. Rufus and Vincent had let Elena take a coat Reno had stored in the closet, while Rufus took the cough. Vincent had a blanket laid out on a chair, but his body refused to give into the world of sleep. He didn't need as much rest as others did. It was something he often hid, refusing to let others see his differences. If he had his own room in an inn he would stay up, but if he was forced to share a room he would lie in bed, thinking.

Tonight he did not care. Something drastic seemed missing from his life. He hadn't seen the other members of Avalanche since they had defeated Sephiroth... all accept one. He quickly shook her image from his mind and walked outside, staring up at the stars. They were soft in the night sky, almost calming.

"I wonder if she's safe now." Another sin. He had been there when they were all kidnapped, but he couldn't save her, he couldn't save anyone. He wounded why the creature hadn't taken him.

He heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't turn around. He could already tell who it was by the steady even sound.

"Couldn't sleep, Rufus?" He spoke. The younger shook his head and stood next to the cloaked man.

"No, too much to think about." Vincent nodded and looked back at the sky.

"Yes." Rufus stuffed his hands in his pocket and looked up at the stars.

"I wonder if they can see them from where they are. They always say that as long as you can see the stars.."

"You can be found." Vincent finished. "Your mother used to say that." Rufus swallowed and nodded.

"Yes. A few months ago this conversation probably would have surprised me, but not now. You knew my mother, Vincent?" the older man nodded, looking down at him.

"A bit. I had just become a TURK, and was assigned to protect her a few times... Hojo killed me before I knew her well. I haven't heard of her since."

"She was murdered." Rufus whispered, "Poisoned, my father made the order. I never found out who was the one who completed the order. Probably a past TURK, there were a lot I never knew, ones that died before I got to know their name or see their face. No one talked about her after her death, it became a taboo." Rufus shook his head. "I used to be upset talking about her... but now... now I'm not. I know that she's happier where she is now, in heaven, the life stream, then she ever could have been here, with my father controlling her every movement."

"That seems like a horrible life."

"It was." Rufus said, his voice barely more then a whisper. Vincent looked at him, his eyes seemed distant, like his soul wasn't even there. Vincent didn't know what to say. The two stood in silence until Vincent spoke.

"I'm sure they can see the stars. Tifa, Yuffie, and everyone else that is being held." Rufus smiled softly.

"Yes, we'll find them."

-

Tifa had been moved from the cell she shared with the others, into a privet chamber. This one was better then the last, with a coat, a blanket and a half functioning bath room. She was thankful for the running water the sink offered, it helped fight the pain and hunger she felt, but she longed to be back in the other cell. It was small and cramped, but she was never alone. She didn't know if her captor was keeping his promise, she didn't know if their lives were being spared. She could only hope.

The clone came to her cell door and opened it, beaconing Tifa to come over. She groaned.

"Tell him I'm dead." The man laughed coldly.

"That can be arranged, Mrs. Lockheart." He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out into the hallway.

"I want to see the others."

"Their dead." She stopped.

"Dead?" The clone laughed, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"What a foolish thing you are." She scoffed, glaring at him.

"That was a horrible joke."

"When I'm told to let you see your friend, I'll let you see them. Right now my master has other plans for you."

"And how is your master? What is his name?"

"Prisoners need to learn to ask less questions." He continued walking, ignoring her protest.

-

The captor smirked as Tifa was thrown into the room. He dismissed the clone to leave, then stood. He walked over to her, a long black cloak covering his face and body. He held a gloved hand out to her. She hesitated, and then took it, balancing herself on her feet.

"Come, I wish to show you something." He walked her across the room to a table, a map rolled across it's surface. "Do you recognize it?" Tifa's eyes scanned it, taking in the details.

"This is Nibelhim." She said, placing her finger on an area of the map, "And Kalm would be here, and Corel… this is the map of our world. But..." The man smirked.

"It's different, it better." Something seemed different about it, but she couldn't pin point it. Something were missing, that she could tell. Midgar was gone, as well as the Gold saucer. There was something else though. The contents seemed closer, some how, almost like they were barely separated.

"I don't get what you're trying to show me." She spoke.

"It's my vision of our earth." he said, "One much better then this one. I need your help to complete this task."

"I don't understand."

"Look closer." Tifa concentrated on the map, trying to find any hidden message in its details. The lines started blurring into one, as she continued to look, nothing popped out. Then, something caught her eye. A small movement, for a second she didn't know if she had even seen anything. Then it moved again, forming into a steady pattern, like a wave. Energy seemed to float around the map, looping in and out between the towns. She gasped, pulling back.

"You see it, yes?" the man spoke, "You see my dream, our new world."

"It's horrible." She choked, "It's horrible, you can't do such a thing. Don't you under stand what would happen? The chaos it would bring to the world?"

"But imagine what it would bring. The Life Stream promises eternal happiness, yes? So why not bring it to us." She tried to pull out of his grasp, his grip tightened. "You can't escape me now Tifa, you will help me."

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Ha! Finished it!

Yes, I do know where this story is going, that's what I do during my one hour bus ride too and from school, but if you have any ideas or comments, please e-mail me. My e-mail is No, I'm not a horribly depressed person, the e-mail is an inside joke, lol.

Oh, and I'm sorry if the format uploads a little messy, I tried my best. Sorry for any spelling mistakes as well.

Please review, it make me want to write more.