A/N: This chapter has been revised taking in the constructive comments given to me in some of my reviews. Please enjoy the revision.
Disclaimer I do not own Vincent or any of the Final Fantasy Characters in this story. Valayris Valk is my own creation thought.
The two make good distance away from the town.
"Valayris," Vincent calls.
Valayris's pace slows but she vigilantly treks on.
"Valayris," Vincent calls again this time grabbing her shoulder.
Stopping Valayris turns toward Vincent. Her face racked with exhaustion.
"Valayris you need to rest,"
"We must keep going. We must...we must... lead... lead them..."
Stumbling Valayris begins to fall. Wasting no time Vincent catches her.
"Don't you ever get tired of catching me?" Valayris asks looking up at him.
"I will catch you every time you fall," Vincent tells her.
Valayris sighs internally, "My Red Knight."
"You are in no condition to run anymore," Vincent says.
"But," Valayris says her stubbornness kicking in.
"The town will be safe," Vincent assures her.
Sighing in defeat Valayris knew she couldn't argue with him. She could barely stay on her own two feet there was no chance of winning an argument with him.
"You win," Valayris sighs.
Setting her on a stump Vincent setups camp. Looking at her Valayris slumps forward she was barely able to keep herself upright. Why did she keep doing this to herself? She was going to kill herself in the name of others if she wasn't more courteous to her own body. Anger flares up in Vincent, he was angry at her for treating herself the way she did and even more angry at Deep Ground for putting her into the position to where she had to treat herself like this.
"Why are you so stubborn?" Vincent asks the anger emanating from his voice, "First about not letting me go with you and now putting your own health at risk. It's like you have no self-value. I know the ordeal with your mother makes you value everyone's life above yours but thousands of people are counting on you to save them. Can't you respect yourself a little bit to make sure you are there for those innocent people. You're no good to anyone dead!"
"I thought you understood," Valayris says.
She had never been scared of Vincent up until now. There was a rage in him she had never seen before. The rage was not necessarily directed at her but it was still intimating.
"I do but I know that a lot of innocent people need your help too," Vincent says the anger waning from his voice, "You and I have to live and understand that this is a responsibility we both carry. I have to keep you safe and alive and you need to take care of yourself. Maybe if you don't want to think about doing it for yourself. Do it for the people who need you in Midgar."
Unsure of what to do Valayris sits in silence. Maybe he was right, maybe she did need to place a little more value on her own life. Yet just thinking of putting her life even a little bit above someone else's causes the guilt she carries in her heart to flare up. She couldn't value her life above someone else's, whose mother would pay next time for her arrogance.
"No one's," Valayris tells herself, "Never again, never again."
"Now get some sleep we have a good long walk through the mines tomorrow," Vincent instructs handing her a blanket.
Taking the blanket Valayris looks up at Vincent with sad widen eyes. She then says, "Thank you".
Nodding in response Vincent finds a good spot to keep watch. The guilt continues to loom over her as she pulls the blanket around her. Laying down she drifts off to sleep.
Vincent watches her sleep, he didn't mean to scare her the way he did but if that helps get through to her the importance of her life then that was the only important thing.
Valayris and Vincent head to the mines when they hear a noise behind them.
"Vincent do you hear that?" Valayris asks moving closer to Vincent.
"Yes, Valayris get behind me," Vincent orders.
Quickly Valayris stands behind Vincent. A few agonizing moments later Deep Ground Soldiers appear out of the brush.
"Come on monster," a soldier sighs, "Just give us the white mage and no one gets hurt."
"And how many times do I have to tell you guys that she is under my protection. You...can't...have...her."
"I'm sorry you feel that way,"
The soldiers open fire, sending bullets flying at Vincent and Valayris. Pushing Valayris out of the way Vincent leaves himself wide open. The bullets pierce his heart.
"Vincent!" Valayris cries, "Oh no."
Valayris's knee hits the ground hard her trembling hands try to reach out to hold Vincent's hand. Not wasting any time Deep Ground soldiers grab Valayris as her quivering fingers brush against Vincent's gloved hand. Blood oozes out Vincent's wound. Valayris couldn't believe this was happening, not now, not to him.
"Come on oh great white mage," a soldier says stepping on Vincent's hand.
"Vincent!" Valayris screams while they drag her away.
"Valayris...," Vincent says holding out his hand to her again.
"Vincent!" Valayris screams.
"Valayris," the pain racked Vincent says, "Valayris."
The voice begins to change as she can feel herself being shaken.
"Valayris," Vincent says, "Valayris."
Valayris slowly opens her eyes to see Vincent staring at her.
"Vincent! You're ok!" Valayris cries wrapping her arms around his neck.
Vincent taken back by the action keeps his arms away from her.
"What's wrong?" Vincent asks as she lets go of him.
"A dream?" Valayris asks leaning forward as the vision comes flooding back to her.
Tears fall from her eyes like silver raindrops.
"It was only a dream," Valayris sighs.
"What's going on Valayris?" Vincent asks perplexed by the entire situation.
"It was a dream. No, it was a horrible vision. We can't go through the mines. We have to go around them. We have to change our course." Valayris gushes.
"What are you talking about?" Vincent asks looking for some answers and all he was getting from her was more questions.
"You'll die in those mines!" Valayris exclaims.
"What?" Vincent says, completely confused.
"I saw it," Valayris says covering her face with her hands, "You'll die saving me."
"I won't die. I can't protect you if I'm dead,"
"You'll die protecting me," Valayris repeats.
"If I do then you'll be safe to save the innocents,"
"Damnit," Valayris cries getting to her feet, "Why don't you value your own life a little more too."
He was such a hypocrite, she was counting on him to stay alive for her, just like those people where counting on her to stay alive for them. He couldn't be so careless with his life. She didn't want him to die, she wanted him beside her, always and forever. Throwing the blanket at Vincent Valayris storms off.
"Valayris!"
"I need to be alone," Valayris states
"But our deal,"
"This doesn't apply,"
"Yes it does,"
"No it doesn't,"
"Valayris,"
"I'll be fine,"
Snapping her fingers Valayris's staff appears.
"See I'll be fine," Valayris says looking at him over her shoulder.
Vincent sighs; she was to upset with him for him to win this fight. Accepting defeat he lets Valayris walk out of sight.
"She's going to get herself killed," Vincent states.
"What is she thinking going off like that? What am I thinking for letting her? Damnit she's making this difficult."
Getting back into the tree Vincent waits for Valayris to return. The hours pass as Vincent grows more and more concern for her safety.
"I should have followed her, or something," Vincent tells himself.
"I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to her, to my silver light," Vincent sighs looking off in the direction Valayris had walked away in.
Hours pass and finally Valayris returns.
"Valayris," Vincent sighs in relief.
Vincent quickly gets off of the tree to greet her.
"Vincent," Valayris returns still sounding upset.
"It's good to have you back safe and sound," Vincent tells her.
Valayris's grumpy look fades away as she looks at him.
"Thank you," Valayris blushes, "Have you thought about changing our route?"
"If it means that much to you we will,"
"Oh Vincent!" Valayris smiles.
Throwing her arms around his neck she embraces him. Vincent wraps his arms around her enjoying Valayris's warm embrace. Just when he thinks he could stay like this forever a familiar smells reaches Vincent's nose. The smell was of the perfume Lucrecia use to wear to work. Valayris feels Vincent go ridged, thinking she was out of line she releases her grip and takes a step back from Vincent.
"I'm sorry," Valayris apologizes.
Vincent shakes it off as Valayris retreats to her blanket. Lying down a small smile crosses Valayris's lips.
"He hugged me back, even if it was a few seconds it was there," Valayris thinks, "Progress! Oh yes progress."
Valayris drifts off to sleep with the smile still on her lips.
That morning the two pack up and head off.
"Vincent will you tell me something about yourself? I opened up to you maybe you can return the favor." Valayris asks.
"Like what?" Vincent asks.
"Like... Were you really a Turk?"
"Yes,"
"Care to elaborate?"
"No,"
"Oook," Valayris says, "What about Lucrecia?"
As soon as those words escape her lips she hits herself in the preverbal forehead.
"Why do I ask such stupid questions?" Valayris asks herself.
Vincent just looks at her with sad eyes. The sadness in his eyes makes Valayris heart ache. She didn't want to upset him, she had just made another huge blunder.
"I'm sorry," Valayris replies feeling her heart sink, "Forget I asked."
"Beautiful Lucrecia..."Vincent trails off.
Valayris begins to feel uncomfortable.
"I was better off with silence," Valayris thinks.
"She was my first love. She was fair, graceful and very beautiful. We'd grown up together. I thought we would be together forever."
Valayris's face flushes. The more Vincent spoke about Lucrecia; the more she realized he would never care about her the way she was beginning to care about him. His heart was to attached to move on. She would have given anything to help Vincent move on but she could never force him to do that. Deep down she just wants Vincent to smile and be happy.
"Yet she loved Hojo and allowed herself to undergo experimentations not fit to be conducted on an animal. This ultimately ended her life and unleashed the nightmare, known as Sephiroth, on the world,"
"Oh," Valayris sighs.
"I could not save her," Vincent sighs.
"Maybe she didn't want to be saved," Valayris says.
Vincent sighs, "Maybe."
His depression angers Valayris, it at times seems like even when giving a chance out of his loneliness and depression he wouldn't take it, like he wanted to be sad and alone.
"Don't you ever wonder if she truly loved you? Maybe if she did she would want you to be happy."
Vincent looks at her. It was something he had never thought about. He just knew how much she had meant to him and how tired he was of being alone. He wanted to love again but Lucrecia's grip on him was tight.
"Because why mourn for someone who never took the time to see the real you. One who never truly appreciated you for you? You couldn't protect her because she didn't want your protection unlike me. I want you to protect me!"
Realizing what had escaped her lips Valayris clasps her hands over her mouth. Her face goes red with embarrassment.
"Ugh!" Valayris thinks, "Great white mage blunders another conversation."
"Valayris what are you saying?" Vincent asks his heart jumps at the thought of someone wanting him there to protect them...always.
"Nothing," Valayris says shaking her head, "Just ignore my last remark."
The last thing Valayris wants is to be reject this earlier on and to have the awkward 'I know you like me and all' conversation and then that awkward air around them.
"Oh," Vincent sighs.
His heart sinks, he wished she had told him what she had meant by her comment. Valayris sense disappointment inside Vincent. Unsure of why he would be disappointed she tries to shrug off the feeling. The two walk until they hear a noise behind them.
"Oh no," Valayris gasps.
"What?" Vincent asks.
"The dream,"Valayris says.
"You mean that noise,"
"Yes,"
"Get behind me Valayris,"
"No,"
"Do it!" Vincent orders.
Reluctantly she gets behind him.
"I don't like this,"
"Have faith in me,"
"I do but..."
The brush parts to reveal Deep Ground Soldiers. Valayris gasps; it was the dream, exactly.
"Oh no, please no," Valayris whimpers quietly.
"Come on monster," a soldier sighs, "Just give us the white mage and no one gets hurt."
"And how many times do I have to tell you guys that she is under my protection. You...can't...have...her."
"I'm sorry you feel that way,"
Oh no, please," Valayris says, "Breathe, breathe."
Her nerves were acting up from the fear; the shaking starts to overcome her.
"No, no, no,"
Valayris grips onto Vincent's cape.
"Valayris," Vincent says feeling the grip on his cape, "Let go Valayris."
Valayris's grip tightens, "No, no, no, no."
"It's time to die monster,"
The soldiers raise their guns.
"No, no, no," Valayris chants staring shimmer in silver light.
"Valayris pull yourself together," Vincent encourages.
Her grip and fixed position prevents Vincent from moving.
"No...no," Valayris says while the light grows brighter.
The guns fire sending bullets flying toward them.
"No!" Valayris screams.
In a moment of adrenaline Valayris whirls Vincent around causing her to be in front. Vincent winces feeling her body press against his. He did not want to find her dead in his arms. Opening his eyes he see her head lying on his chest.
"Valayris," Vincent says, "Valayris!"
Patting her back to gauge the amount of blood she lost, finds nothing but clean fabric.
"Valayris?" Vincent asks
Slowly she picks up her head, "I'm fine."
Looking he sees her looking up at him.
"Valayris," Vincent says.
"Don't you ever get tired of saying my name?"
"How did you...?"
Looking behind her Vincent sees all the soldiers slain by their own bullets.
"You..."
"Conjured up a shield before the bullets hit. It's all about channeling adrenaline."
"Don't do that to me again," Vincent growls grapping onto her arms, "You have this thing with putting yourself in position where I fear for your life."
Valayris looks at him. Did he care about her? Was he trying to move on? Was he trying to move on to her? All these questions enter Valayris's mind as she looks into Vincent's red eyes.
"I'm tired of you jumping in front of bullets for me. I'm thankful but tired of fearing for your life."
"I can't help it," Valayris says, "I don't want you to get hurt."
"Try! Try hard," Vincent tells her, "Your need to be in one piece when we get back to Midgar."
"Ok," Valayris says.
Vincent loosens his grip on her arms.
"I'm sorry," Valayris apologizes, "I don't mean to worry you.'
"Don't be. Just understand you're more valuable alive then dead. Besides if I get hurt you can always heal me. You can't heal yourself if you get shot again."
"True," Valayris agrees, "I can't heal you if they take me."
"True," Vincent agrees, "Lets just agree to keep each other safe without you risking your life too much."
"Agreed!" Valayris replies.