CHAPTER 8

MIDGAR

The next morning when Vincent opened his eyes the first thing he saw was the sun beginning to rise. The second thing was Yuffie. She was sitting in her seat with the picnic basket on her lap, munching on a sandwich.

"I see you're feeling better," he commented.

Yuffie grinned, swallowed, and offered him the basket. "Yup. Would you like a sandwich?" she asked, a wad of food making her left cheek bulge out.

Without a word Vincent reached into the basket and pulled out a sandwich. He turned away from her to eat it.

"Hey, Vincent," she started up.

"Hmm?" he asked, biting into the sandwich.

"Hoe ill we fet into Idmar?" she asked, her mouth full of food.

"Hmm?"

Yuffie swallowed and tried again. "How will we get into Midgar?"

He swallowed before answering. "I have the key. I borrowed it from Cloud."

"How?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciosly. "Did you ask him for it?"

"No."

Yuffie's grin got bigger. "So you stole it!?"

He shrugged. "Not really," he said. "It depends on how you look at it. I am going to give it back."

"Do you think they know we're here?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Let's just hope they never go to Rocket Town and talk to Shera."

There was a silence as the two finished their sandwiches. When they were done Vincent pulled the keys out of the plane and opened the door. "Let's go."

"But what about the picnic basket?" Yuffie asked, holding it up.

Vicnent was already climbing out of the plane. He stopped and looked up at her. "Bring it with us."

"Okay."

Yuffie opened the door and started to climb out, taking the basket with her. As she climbed down she missed a step and lost her balance. She fell back, flailing her arms to keep her balance. No use.

The next instant she was out in space!

Yuffie screamed and the picnic basket went flying. As she fell back she closed her eyes, expecting to hit the rock hard ground. It never happened. She felt herself floating. Am I dead?

"Yuffie," a voice said.

Oh God! It's God!

"Yuffie. Open your eyes."

The ninja complied. She opened her eyes slowly and found herself staring into the face of Vincent Valentine. God sure looks a lot like Vincent...

"Yuffie," he said. "You should be more careful when you climb out of that thing."

Wait. That's not something God would say! Is it?

That's when she became aware that he was holding her. She also realized she wasn't dead. And the man who held her wasn't God. What? Vincent saved my life!

Vincent set her down and handed her the picnic basket which he'd also managed to grab.

"Thank you," she said to both things.

"It's all right," he said, staring down at her. "I couldn't let you fall. You could have seriously injured yourself."

Yuffie's face suddenly started to turn red.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing!" she said, grinning hugely.

Vincent stared at her a moment longer then turned and started to make his way to Midgar. Yuffie quickly followed.

"Vincent?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"How do you plan on getting into Shinra headquarters? Do you know your way around Midgar?"

"I've been to Midgar three of four times before," he said. "I never actually walked around the cities, though."

"So we'll have to ask someone when we get to the Slums?" Yuffie asked.

"Looks like it."

By then they'd reached the door to the Sector 5 Slums. Vincent used the key to unlock the door and they went inside. As soon as they were actually in Sector 5 Yuffie spotted the church where Aerith had been growing flowers when she'd lived there. "Hey, Vincent," the ninja said.

"Yes?"

"Let's go into the church and see if the flowers are still growing there."

"Why?"

"I need to do something," she said "It will only take a minute."

"All right."

"Thanks!"

Yuffie grabbed his arm and tugged him into the church. As they walked down the aisle toward the back Vincent's scarlet eyes took in the flowers Aerith had once taken great care of to keep alive. They were still as beautiful as ever. Vincent felt as if the flowers girl's spirit was still in there, keeping an eye on her garden.

When Yuffie reached the garden she got down on her hands and knees and picked one. Vincent heard her mutter something then she stood up, the flower still in her hand.

She walked up to him and handed it to him. "What's this for?" he asked, looking down at the white flower she held out to him.

"That is something you will have to figure out," she said, giving him a secret smile.

He took the flower from her and before he could say anything she'd grabbed his arm again and pulled him out of the church.

Once they were outside again Vincent asked her. "Why did you want to go in there?"

Yuffie grinned at him and winked. "That's only for me and Aerith to know."

Vincent didn't understand what she ment. Her hand moved from his arm to his hand. "Where do you plan on going to find a way to get to that place?" she asked, back in on the old discussion.

"I was thinking about checking out Sector 6 to see if there's anyway to get up that wall Cloud told us about," he said as they started walking.

"And if there isn't?"

"We'll take the train."

"Shouldn't we try that first?"

"Yeah. Maybe."

By then they'd reached the hole in the wall that led into Sector 6. "We'd better be careful when we get in there," he cautioned her.

"Why?" Yuffie wanted to know.

"That place is full of thieves. It won't be safe until we get to the Wall Market."

"Oh."

He felt her hand tighten its hold on his. "I'm ready," she said, looking up at him. "Let's go."

They walked through the ruins of old crumbling buildings, keeping an eye out for anyone who might try to rob them.

They had almost reached the Wall Market without any problems when a drunken group of thugs seemed to come out of nowhere. Vincent tried to walk past them but one of the guys got in his way and shoved him back. "Hey, what's your hurry?" the man asked.

Vincent went into a business like manner. He could feel Yuffie's grip on his hand tighten even more as he said. "If you don't mind, would you please get out of our way?"

"What's your hurry?" the man asked again.

"Maybe he's taking that woman on a hot date," another thug said, stepping forward.

Vincent pulled out his gun and aimed it at Thug 2. "Take another step closer...," he said.

The man backed off, his hands raised, palms out. "Hey, no offence," he said.

"If you'd be so kind to get out of our way," Vincent said, clicking off the safety. "I won't have to do something I might regret later."

"Vincent," Yuffie said, tugging on his arm.

"Not now," he said, not looking away from the two jerks.

"But, Vincent!" she said, pulling his arm down. "It's important!"

He glanced at her. "What?" he asked.

Yuffie pointed. Vincent looked up. How did I miss this before? Surrounded.

"We don't want any trouble," the gangster leader said once again, stepping forward. "Just hand over all your money and the bimbo."

"No," the gunman said. "That would be irresponsible. I will on the other hand leave you a parting gift..." He shot above their heads, causing them to scatter in panic.

"Let's get out of here, Yuffie!" he said, grabbing her arm.

Before she could react Vincent had thrown her onto his back and ran like a samuri though the confusion.

"Vincent!" Yuffie screamed. "Help!"

He heard a thud and turned around. The gangsters were trying to drag Yuffie away.

"Leave her alone!" he shouted, rushing forward, his fist raised.

The twenty seven year old punched one of the gangsters in the face. Him and his buddy let Yuffie go and turned their attention on the dark haired man in red.

Soon all the gangsters started to think the same way. Before he knew what was happening Vincent was buried under a pile of bodies.

Yuffie realized that if she didn't do something quick the gunman would be sufficated. She pulled out her huge shurikan and threw it at the mob, shouting. "Get off him, you wasted jerks!"

The star hit a few in the head which angered them more. A few came at her, shouting nasty language.

Yuffie fought them off with her shurikan. She was losing. Oh, God! I'm losing to a bunch of stoners!

Suddenly all she saw was red and she went berserk, attacking everyone and everything.

By the time she could see again she had successfully womped them all. She stood panting and glaring at the thugs who lay on the ground all around her.

"This chick is nuts!" their leader exclaimed. "Let's get out of here!"

There was a stampede as they all retreated.

"And don't ever come back!" she shouted after them. She smiled and brought herself up to her full height. "Nobody messes with the great ninja Yuffie or her friends and gets away with it! Hahahahaha!"

A groan behind her stopped her self proclamations. She turned around. "Vincent!" she shouted, rushing over to him and kneeling down beside him. "You okay?" She offered her arm.

Vincent put his arm around her shoulders. She helped him up. "I think so," he said, looking around warily. "Where did those bastards go?"

Yuffies smiled. "I punished them," she said proudly.

"You," he said then moaned and grabbed his head. "My head..."

"I think we'd better go to the inn," she said. "You can heal up there. Can you walk by yourself?"

He shook his head. "I can't... make it.. on my... own..." he seemed to be having a hard time admitting it.

"I'll help you then."

"You don't have to..."

"I'm going to!"

"Fine, if that's what you wish..."

"That's what I want! Now stop talking. You need to save your energy."

He stared at her a moment, saying nothing. Bossy aren't we... But.. it's a good thing you are...

They headed into the Wall Market.

The inn was one of the first buildings people passed when they came to the shopping center. Vincent and Yuffie immediately went into it and got a room.

As Vincent lay dozing on one of the beds Yuffie searched the room for a med kit. A minute passed before she found one. "Ah ha!" she exclaimed, startling him awake. "I got you!"

"Okay," she said, walking up to him. "Let's get you patched up."

Vincent sat up and looked away from her. "I am fine," he said.

"Uh huh." Yuffie reached over and moved his ebony hair away from his face. She saw he had a black eye as well as some facial scratches. "You are not!" she said. "You got shiner as big as a watermelon. Let me look at it."

"No," he said, moving away from her. "There is no need for that."

Yuffie sat on the bed and tried to get closer as she attempted to get a better look at his eye. "Yes, I do," she insisted.

"No, you don't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Stop acting like a big baby!"

"I'm not! Hey! Ow! Get off me! We're going to fall!"

WAM! The two fell off the bed and crashed onto the floor.

The door opened. "Hey, what's going on in here?" the manager demanded, poking his head inside.

Vincent and Yuffie's heads peeked out from behind the bed. Their hair was a mess.

"Ohmigosh!" the man's face turned red. "I'm sorry! I'll leave you in private!"

The door slammed shut.

Yuffie grinned at Vincent.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said through her grin.

"Knock it off," he said, climbing back into his bed.

"Then let me see your eye," she said, reaching up to brush the hair out of his face again.

This time he let her. "You may need some ice for that, she commented. She stood up. "I'll be right back."

She left the room and returned a minute later with a cloth wrapped around a chunk of ice. She put it against his eye.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" he asked, confused.

"For protecting me back there."

"You were the one who saved me," he pointed out. "If it hadn't been for you I would have sufficated."

"You're welcome," she said. "Hold that a minute."

He lifted his hand and held the ice in place.

Yuffie began searching her short's pocket for something. "Where did I put it?" she asked herself.

"What?"

"My Cure Materia," she answered. "If I can find it I can use it to get rid of those scratches and that black eye. I hope I didn't put it in my other pair of shorts!"

He handed her one. "Here, use mine," he offered.

"All right," she said, taking it from him.

When she finished using it the black eye vanished. She handed it back to him and said. "I think we should stay here for the night."

Vincent, who was feeling tired from the fight, agreed.

While Yuffie went to pay for the room for the night Vincent stretched out of his bed and fell asleep a few minutes later.

A/N

Long chapter. One of the longest chapters in the fic. Ow, my hands hurt. I'll have to rest my fingers for awhile. Sorry for any grammer or spelling errors. Chapter 9 might take awhile to put up. Sorry. I'll try my best.