Disclaimer: I down not own Final Fantasy VII, nor anything else made by Square.

Final Fantasy VII:

Tears of Heaven

The darkness was all too kind and yet, all too cruel. It held itself higher than anything and only backed down when the light approached. But as soon as the brief dispel of darkness ended, it came back full force. Every time. There was nothing that could stop that cycle of life. But, an exception to that was one man. A man shrouded in the blackest, deepest depths of darkness and hell, a man who gave the world the kindest gift he could give them: their lives. He didn't do it alone, however. He had allies, comrades in battle, at his side almost all of time.

…Almost.

Vincent Valentine was not exactly proud of his efforts. Of course, he didn't seem unpleased with them either. He just did what he was told, and what he felt he had to. That was it. That's how it always was; get your objectives, complete the mission, and shut up. There were times he did something because he knew it had to be done, whether he was issued orders or not.

"I can't let you do it! This isn't right!"

"This is science, of course it's right!"

"Vincent, this isn't your decision! It's my choice!"

This…this was one of those times.

"Lucrecia, how can you let Hojo trick you into doing this! This is your child, not his! It doesn't belong to science," Vincent tried to explain to his love - The love that didn't love him back.

"I know this is my child Vincent! And I'm doing what I want to do to my child!" Lucrecia countered, her eyes filling with hot tears.

Hojo nodded. "See, Vincent? Nothing to fret about—now, get back to your post or I'll have to call security on you." The professor chuckled.

"I am the damn security, fool," Vincent murmured, more to himself rather than the scientist. The Turk sighed and stormed out of the laboratory, slamming the door behind him. Cackling was the only thing that reached his ears after the echo of the door slamming had vanished…and to this day, it still haunted him.

As long as she was happy, then I didn't mind.

Or…maybe I did. Maybe I was just a little jealous of Hojo and Lucrecia being together. Just a little curious as to why Lucrecia was allowing experimentation on her unborn son. Just a little weak when it came to stopping it. If I had done something back then…all of this could have been avoided. This…was only one of my sins.

And then there was that other time…

"Vincent! Why the hell are you in my lab!" Hojo yelled, pulling out a revolver. Vincent was sweating. He had run down the steps and carelessly missed a step, causing him to fall downwards and plow into the ground. Luckily, he hadn't been very high, and only his arm had broken.

"I won't allow you to do this, Hojo!"

The doctor frowned, clearly agitated with this statement. Hojo waited a moment before beginning to smile. "Vincent…you, who can replaced so easily, have come here to bring up a matter that I, Professor Hojo, had made so painstakingly clear to you, and just about everyone else. Why would you bring up this matter, yet again, when it was clearly stated that Lucrecia has given me, the father, permission to inject Jenova cells inside of our unborn child?"

"Because I know this isn't right! This isn't science Hojo, this is madness!" Vincent breathed, wincing from the pain that was going throughout his whole left arm.

Hojo chuckled. "It is only madness until science has proven it to be otherwise. Now, be gone you scum." A gunshot rang throughout the entire mansion, but no one was around to hear it.

"You…you're truly a monster…Hojo…" Vincent crumpled to the floor, his hand at his wound where the bullet had dug in. Hojo could only laugh in response.

"Monster, am I? I'll show you a monster Vincent…no. I'll MAKE you a monster, Vincent!"

I think, back then…I was already a monster. A Turk…I ruthlessly murdered people, without so much as thinking twice about their fates or their loved ones. It was my job and I only sought to do it. But I was so talented, so gifted in my area…no one should have had that sort of power. The power to kill a man without hesitation; the power to take a life away without considering what the man or woman had done for or against society. All you ever felt was the need to pull the trigger and the want to end this mission quicker than the last. Sometimes the job got to people's minds and they left, wallowing in their own guilt. I didn't leave…but I wasn't off any better than they. In some cases, I was far worse than them actually. This, of course, is another of my sins.

But, I think my greatest sin was one that was still to come. One that would leave me feeling guilty for years. Not only because I knew it was extremely bad, but because one of his friends was a slight…fascination of mine. Even Yuffie seemed upset about Cloud's death. Yes, that's right.

I killed Cloud Strife.

It had been one of those times where I had to do it, simply because I felt I had to. There was no explanation, no warning, no command. I simply looked over at the spiky-headed blond and knew it. It was like a sudden urge within me, an urge to point the barrel at him, pull the hammer back, and let the bullet fly. All within half-a-second, I might add. Of course, the consequence was high and the expense even higher, but when they threw me into that locked room, into that padded area and shut off all the lights, that is when I truly realized it.

The darkness was cruel, but in times like these, when my face retained the look of a maniac, the darkness was kind. It kept her from seeing my crazed look, it blinded her to the fact that I had simply snapped. But, ironically, it veiled my face when I tried to mouth to her that I was sorry, and that I loved her. She didn't see my eyes, with the tears streaming from them. My only emotions that had been shown in so many years…and they were lost. Lost to the darkness.

What a bitch.

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