Chapter 52

Vincent and Tifa got to the infirmary, to find Quigley and Dr. Ritchie talking. They fell silent as the noticed their patient's approach, both smiling awkwardly.

The elderly doctor stepped up to Vincent, considering him briefly. "So, are you ready for this?"

Vincent honestly laughed. "I've been ready for this for a long time. What do I need to do?"

"According to the research we got, it just says that I have to give this to you intravenously and that should be it." Quigley pulled the vial back out of his pocket.

"And I'd like to have an I.V. in you before we do that, just in case you have seizures again or any such thing," the doctor added.

Vincent wasn't entirely surprised to hear this, and his demeanor withered just a bit. He wasn't a fan of having I.V.s placed in him, and honestly, he'd had more than his share of them over the years. "Fine."

Dr. Ritchie pointed over toward a bed that already had his supplies lain out beside it. "Just take off your shirt and go over there."

Vincent nodded and complied. He handed his shirt over to his wife and then lay down on the hospital bed. His usual anxiety of medical procedures tried to rear, but the prospect of finally being freed of Chaos after all those years washed it aside.

Tifa remained on the left side of the bed, holding onto his artificial hand while the doctor got to placing the I.V. line into her husband. She knew that for Vincent's sake, she had to hide her own reservations about this. Then again, it wasn't going to be that hard to do, since Vincent had his eyes closed tightly already.

The doctor got the intravenous catheter taped in place and then stepped back, allowing Quigley to come to the bedside. The researcher looked over at Tifa, producing an awkward smile as he held a syringe loaded with the drug between them. "Ready?"

She nodded, and Vincent didn't respond in the least, having thoroughly braced himself for the worst. He was shaking slightly, and sweating profusely, but didn't open his eyes or change the grip he had on Tifa.

Quigley knit his brow and did a silent prayer that this would work, before lining up the needle with the injection port on Vincent's arm. He drew back, getting a flash of blood, before slowly beginning to dispense the contents of the syringe into Vincent's bloodstream.

Vincent honestly didn't know when the medication started to enter his system. He never felt any burn, nor change in his pulse rate. The entire injection came and went with no seizure or hint of nausea.

"That's it. How are you feeling?" Quigley asked as he withdrew the needle and stepped back.

Vincent cracked open one of his eyes and looked at the blond. "Did you do it?"

"Yeah." Quigley smiled. "You didn't notice?"

Vincent sat up and looked at Tifa, before turning back to the doctor and researcher. "No, I never felt a thing. I feel…fine."

"Vincent, look at me again." Tifa reached forward and placed her hand upon his shoulder.

He turned upon the bed and looked up at her once more. "Is something wrong?"

Her immediate smile spoke volumes. Being behind him, she had seen the black mark that had been upon his back from Chaos' presence disappear and now seeing his eyes, she knew that the treatment had honestly worked. Tifa leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck, crying happily.

Vincent didn't understand and got up from the bed, holding her close. "Tifa? What's wrong?"

She pulled back and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong…nothing's wrong at all… Your eyes, Vincent…"

He instantly caught on and dropped his arms away from her. After a moment of hesitation, Vincent spun and ran from the infirmary. He jogged all the way to the room he and Tifa shared, throwing open the door and going into the bathroom. Once inside, he stood before the mirror and examined his own image.

His eyes weren't crimson anymore.

They were the dark, coffee color that he naturally possessed.

He laughed to himself and braced against the sink, his overwhelming relief over being rid of Chaos…actually rid of Chaos once and for all, causing tears to come to his eyes.

It wasn't long before Tifa, Quigley, and the doctor all arrived, as they knew where he had gone.

Tifa came up to him, seeing the tears marking his cheeks. "Vincent, are you all right?"

"I'm fine…" He offered her a faint smile before straightening back up and putting his arms around her. "I'm completely fine."

Tifa collapsed against him, crying in her happiness. "S…so now they can help Cid, Aaron, and Charlotte?"

Quigley was leaning against the doorframe. "Looks like it. I'll go get Cid's batch underway."

"Quig…we owe you so much…" Tifa let go of Vincent for a moment and turned toward the other man.

Quigley's expression was simply one of sheer exhaustion and stress. He straightened up and shoved his hands in his pockets. "No, you don't owe me anything. I was just doing my job. I'm going to the lab to get to work. I've got DNA from Cid and Aaron already so… I'll see you guys."

They watched him retreat. Dr. Ritchie suddenly felt more than a little out of place alone with Vincent and Tifa. He offered them a faint smile. "So, you're feeling entirely fine, Vincent?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Good enough. If you start to feel anything strange, come and get me, all right?" The doctor turned to leave.

"Okay," Vincent said after him. Now alone, he looked back down at Tifa and took her into his arms once more.

She closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. "So…this…this is finally over?"

"Looks like it." Vincent closed his eyes and stroked her hair with his human hand.

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A day later, Cid was brought to the infirmary to undergo his treatment as well. Just like Vincent, he received his injection without incident. Within a few minutes, his eyes had also returned to their natural color of sky blue, leaving no trace of whatever it had been he had become.

Once convinced that he was going to be all right, Cid hopped up from the hospital bed and reclaimed his shirt from Jin before slipping it on.

Tifa and Vincent were present as well, with Charlotte resting in her father's arms.

The pilot draped his arm around his wife's shoulders and then looked over at his friends. "Well that was a big fuckin' deal made over nothin', huh?"

"It wasn't so bad, I'd agree," Vincent said back, offering a hint of a smile.

"So…this means I can go the hell home, then?" Cid turned his eyes over toward Quigley and Dr. Ritchie.

The two men in question looked at one another before Quigley spoke up. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Fuckin' A." Cid seemed more than a little pleased.

"Actually, though," came a voice from the doors to the infirmary-- it was Reno. He strolled in and over toward the pilot. "I sorta need you to do something for me."

Cid cocked an eyebrow and huffed. "What's that?"

"Well, we need to get Aaron back here from Mideel so he can get his shot, too." Reno placed his hands on his hips. "But, as is so often the case, looks like old Brad's got the chopper out of commission, so…I was kinda hoping that you might go get him."

Flying all the way to Mideel and back before finally being allowed to go home didn't particularly thrill Cid, but he felt that he owed it to the powers that be, and moreover, Tifa. He glanced over at her, seeing the eager expression that she wore. "Yeah, what the fuck, I'll do it."

"Cool beans." Reno seemed satisfied with this. "Get to that then, would ya?"

Cid stepped away from Jin and then shrugged. "I guess I've got shit to take care of, then."

Jin nodded knowingly. "That's all right. I'll get on the train and head back toward Rocket. I'll get there by tomorrow so that L.C. can come home."

"Sound's good." Cid offered her a light kiss before she walked out of the infirmary to get her plans made.

"And how much would she freak out if she found out that I wanted to go to Mideel with you to pick up my son?" Tifa asked, stepping away from Vincent a bit.

Once more, Cid's eyebrow raised questioningly. "To hell with that, what would you say about it, Sunshine?"

Vincent turned his eyes up from the baby he was holding. "It's fine with me, unless you wanted me to go instead, Tifa. I mean, you would have to take the baby since you're nursing and all, unless we all go."

Having been so eager to see her son again, Tifa had completely forgotten that small detail. She couldn't be away from the baby at the moment for more than a few hours. "Oh, right…"

Reno shook his head. "Vinny, you can't go. I need you for some things around here, first."

"Like what?" Vincent asked.

"Like stuff!" Reno suddenly looked annoyed. He didn't honestly feel like he needed to explain himself to anyone. He simply wanted Vincent to stay around so that he could tell him about the bugs that his father-in-law had found in his house after Shinra had infiltrated it in order to reveal Tifa's affair to him. This was not something that he wanted to outright say in his present company. Rude would most likely be able to tell them if Vincent had found them all once Vincent told them how many he'd found and where the bugs had been.

"Fine." Vincent looked at his wife. "Are you sure you wish to go with the baby?"

"We'll be fine. It's just a day of flying." Tifa offered him a grin. "I just want to see Aaron."

"Good enough, then." Vincent looked over at Cid. "How soon do you think you'll be leaving?"

"Now," came Cid's curt answer.

"All right." Vincent met Tifa's gaze again. "Shall we go to our room and pack up what you'll need?"

"Yeah, let's go." Tifa started for the infirmary doors, and Vincent quickly followed.

Once in their room, Vincent sat on the bed with the baby while Tifa got to loading up the diaper bag.

She looked over her shoulder as she packed. "What do you think Reno wants you for?"

"I have no clue."

"Oh." Tifa stopped and turned to face her husband. "Are you all right with me going?"

He glanced up from his daughter. "Should I not be?"

"I thought…"

"That I wouldn't be well for you taking off with Cid alone?" Vincent cocked his head to the side.

"Well, yeah…" Tifa came over and sat beside him.

"Tifa, if I can't trust you, then there is no point in us being together. We started over, remember that." Vincent turned his eyes back to Charlotte. "Besides, I don't think Cid would try anything, for fear of what Jin would do to him if she found out."

Tifa couldn't help but laugh. "That's probably true."

"You wouldn't have much of an opportunity to get away with a lot, anyway." Vincent's mouth quirked up. "He once said in passing that he'd never had sex on a plane, nor would he."

Tifa's face twisted. "When did he ever say that?"

Vincent shrugged. "Just one time when he and I were talking a few years ago. I don't even recall how we had gotten on the subject."

"Cid and you have talked about that sort of thing?" Tifa couldn't help but laugh.

Vincent didn't seem nearly as amused. "You spend enough time with someone, you discuss certain things. Cid has been one of my few friends, you know."

"Yeah, but I never figured that you two would bring up that sort of thing." She continued to giggle.

"It was more of a case of Cid volunteering information that I hadn't exactly asked for." Vincent sighed back, rocking the baby in his arms slightly.

"Well then, if it was a few years ago, maybe he has now," Tifa said without really thinking.

Vincent instantly looked over at her, his brow knit.

She raised her hands in defense. "No, no, no, no! We did not do that, I assure you."

"Perhaps he has with Jin." Vincent dropped his gaze away again, amused at her reaction.

"Yeah, maybe." Tifa didn't want to continue with this line of discussion and she rose from the bed and grabbed the bag of baby supplies. "I think I've got all I need here."

Vincent sighed heavily and rose up from the bed. He walked over to where the infant carrier seat was and picked it up with his left hand, keeping the baby in his right arm. "Okay."

Tifa could see the sadness in his expression and she went to him, placing her hand upon his right shoulder. "Vincent, are you really okay with me going? I mean, if it's upsetting you, we can just have Cid get him on his own."

Vincent narrowed his eyes and locked into her gaze. "Tifa, you know that Aaron isn't all that fond of Cid at the moment. There's a fair chance that if you don't go, that Aaron won't leave with him."

Tifa nodded and looked away. "True."

"Come on, let's go." Vincent forced a smile for her and then followed her out the door.

They went up to the airfield to find Cid standing next to his father's plane. As they got closer, they saw that Cid was facing away from them, leaning against it.

When they were directly behind him, they could see that something was definitely not right. Cid had his arms resting on the side of the plane, his head pressed against the fuselage between them.

Tifa grew afraid. "Cid? Are you okay?"

He pulled one of is hands away from the plane and extended his arm out behind them, waving them away. "Yeah…just… Come back in a while…"

Tifa could instantly tell from his voice that he was crying. She dropped the diaper bag to the tarmac and closed the distance between the pilot and herself. "Cid?"

He felt the weight of her hands upon his shoulders, and wasn't particularly thrilled that she hadn't retreated as asked. "Seriously, Tif… Just come back in a little while. I…I don't want you and Sue to see me like this."

"What's wrong?" Tifa was not going to abandon him like this, whether he liked it or not.

Realizing that she wasn't going to leave, Cid sighed and did his best to pull himself together before turning and facing her. "It's just that once I came out here and got to this plane… all the memories of my old man just sort of rushed in on me."

Remembering the pain of her own father's death, even if the circumstances had been considerably different, Tifa's eyes brimmed with tears and she threw her arms around Cid. "I'm so sorry…"

Not really caring if Vincent was standing by and watching, Cid embraced her in return, needing the comfort. "I'll be okay."

After several minutes, Cid gathered his composure and stepped away from her. He wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands and then looked over to see Vincent standing with the baby and the carrier. "So, uh, ready to go?"

Vincent shrugged slightly and came forward, wanting to get the baby's seat secured in the plane for Tifa.

Cid remained silent until Vincent had vanished into the plane before looking at Tifa again. "Really, is he okay with you going with me?"

"He said he was." Tifa looked down at the ground. "You know how Vincent is, though."

"Yeah, I do, that's the thing. Even if he had a problem with it, he wouldn't say shit. He'd just stay here and brood about it the whole time," Cid scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Vincent's head reappeared through the door to the plane and he scowled over at Cid. "Trust me, if I had a problem with it, I would have told Reno to shove it up his ass and I would have gone with you."

Cid was a little surprised that Vincent had heard, and actually found Vincent's response more than a little amusing. "All right, man. Just wanted to make sure, that's all."

Vincent rolled his eyes and went back to getting Charlotte secured into her seat in the plane.

Tifa snickered a little bit and then turned to pick up the diaper bag she'd dropped. She then climbed into the plane, to find Vincent making sure that Charlotte was safely strapped in her seat that he had placed in one of the passenger seats.

"She's still asleep?" Tifa asked, inspecting her husband's work.

"So it would seem." Vincent offered her a faint smile, then bending down to kiss the baby on the head before turning back to his wife. "I'll see you when you return."

"Okay." Tifa placed her arms around Vincent and embraced him tightly before offering her lips up to him for a kiss.

Vincent complied and met her lips with his, invading her mouth in a lingering farewell kiss.

Cid pushed past the two of them to get into the pilot's seat. "Get a fuckin' room."

Tifa giggled and pulled away from Vincent. "I guess we're leaving."

Vincent nodded. "Goodbye."

"Bye." She moved to go sit in the copilot's seat.

Vincent exited the plane, closing the door behind him. Once he had walked a short distance away, Cid fired up the engines. Vincent stood on the tarmac and watched for several minutes until Cid taxied the plane out onto the runway and then took off.

A/N-- Once more, I apologize for the delay between updates. Just two more chapters to go, though. All is not lost!