Vincent and Valayris head one floor. Looking around Vincent sees a guard walking their direction. Spinning around he ducks into a crevice. The guard nonchalantly walks by them. The two hold their breath for a time till his boots could no longer be heard. Vincent readjusts Valayris in his arms. Looking down at her he asks, "Where to now?"

Examining their surroundings she tries to recall where she had come from when they moved her from her cell.

"That way," Valayris says gesturing to the left of them.

The two make their way down a long dark hallway. Coming to a door separating them and the cells behind it.

"It's locked," Valayris says.

Vincent sets Valayris on the floor and fires one shot, breaking the lock.

"That's any easy fix,"

"I hope no one heard that," Valayris says looking around waiting for Deep Ground to ambush them.

"I guess we'll find out if the time comes," Vincent says picking Valayris back up in his arms.

Walking down the line of cells Cloud's spiky blonde hair catches Vincent's eyes. Setting Valayris down Vincent walks over to the cell.

"Cloud," Vincent says,

Snapping his head up Cloud looks at Vincent.

"Vincent, what are you doing here?"

"I came to get you out,"

"Don't worry about me," Cloud says getting angry, "Valayris is the one you need to worry about. They took her off to a lab and that can't be good. Hey where's your cape?"

"It's on Valayris," Vincent says quickly gesturing to Valayris who slips a hand through the cape and waves.

"Oh Hello Val," Cloud sighs.

"Hi Cloud," Valayris replies.

"I know the routine," Vincent says examining the lock, "Save the one in the most danger first then who ever is closest."

Cloud shoots Vincent a dirty look as he thinks, "Smart ass."

"Val did they hurt you?" Cloud asks turning to Valayris.

"Not too bad," Valayris says looking at the bite marks on her ankles.

While she is doing that Cloud sees a flash of bare skin, knowing she was wearing clothes when she was taken he begins to wonder.

"Val where are your clothes?" Cloud asks.

"The Boss took them,"

Cloud notices Vincent's grip on the bars tighten, was Vincent angered by the treatment of Valayris too? Did he love her like she loved him? Cloud knew that Valayris had been gone a long time but had Vincent made the jump to move on?

"Vincent and I will get revenge for you Val," Cloud says, "I promise."

Valayris blushes pulling the cape tight around her, "Thanks guys."

"He didn't...touch you did he?" Cloud asks.

"Nothing except for when he beat me and dragged me out of here," Valayris answers laughing a little.

"What's so funny?"

"You sounded just like Vincent there,"

"Uh...Oh," Cloud says.

Vincent and Cloud look at each other for just a moment. Vincent unlocks Cloud's cell door.

"When did you become so good at picking locks?"

"It's a gift," Vincent shrugs.

Cloud walks out of the cell and looks around.

"Val did you see my sword when the Boss took you?" Cloud asks.

Valayris rolls her eyes back in thought.

"Nope," Valayris tells him.

"That must mean it's that way," Cloud replies gesturing in the opposite direction.

"Well lets go get it," Valayris says, "We're going to need it to get Tifa out."

Vincent picks up Valayris in his arms.

"You can't walk?" Cloud asks looking at Valayris.

"Not well," Vincent answers.

"They stole a lot of my magic in the lab I' m pretty drained," Valayris says going limp in Vincent's arms for a few seconds.

"That's why they wanted you?" Cloud asks as they three make their way down the corridor.

"They found a way to manipulate her magic and make the ultimate disease," Vincent tells Cloud.

"How do you know so much?" Cloud asks, "I've been here for a while and I haven't heard anything like that."

"I had a discussion with the lead scientist up until I silenced him, forever." Vincent tells them.

"We definitely need to shut this place down," Cloud says seeing his sword leaning up against a vacant stool, "Specially if they have a way of manufacturing a disease from her magic."

Cloud grabs his sword, "I've missed you."

"Now that man and sword have reunited lets go get Tifa," Valayris says.

"Tifa," Cloud sighs, "I knew I couldn't protect you but I thought I could protect her."

"Cloud, stop it!" Valayris says, "You're going to protect her now!"

Cloud lets out one last sigh before straighten up, "Lets go!"

The three make their way up to the floor above them. Looking around they try to figure out which way to head next.

"Any ideas Val?" Cloud asks.

"No idea, I didn't get to see Tifa. I just heard him and Hojo talking where she was when I was in the crystal.

"Hojo?" Cloud asks feeling Valayris's forehead, "Are you sure your feeling ok Val? Hojo's been dead..."

"For three years," Vincent finishes, "He upload his personal data into a computer which Deep Ground placed into another human being and Hojo was reborn."

"So he's the scientist you silenced," Cloud says.

Vincent stops in mid-step, "Wait Valayris, you could hear everything in the crystal?"

Looking down at Valayris Vincent feels a bit uneasy what if she had heard all the stuff he said to Hojo about her. That means she would know he loved her and that is not the way he wants her to find out.

"Well...not really. I heard up till you go there. When you arrived the machine was running at full speed and all I could hear was the whizzing and whirling of the machine." Valayris explains, "Why do you asks? Is there something I should have heard?"

"Oh no, I was just curious," Vincent says.

"Ok," Valayris says.

A scream echoes off the walls bouncing toward the group.

"Tifa!" Cloud cries racing off.

"Cloud!" Valayris says, "That boy will never learn."

Vincent draws Cerberus, "Well we best go help him."

"You can put me down Vincent, I think I'm ok to walk," Valayris says.

"You sure?"

"Yes go ahead put me down,"

Vincent sets her down. Taking a few feeble steps Valayris's legs give out. Vincent goes to pick her up but Valayris stops him.

"I'll be fine go help Cloud, I'll be right here when you get back." Valayris assures him.

"I can't just leave you here," Vincent says looking in the direction Cloud ran off to then back at Valayris.

"Please, go help Cloud, help Cloud for the both of us," Valayris pleads with him.

"There be hell to pay if you're not here when I get back," Vincent tells her.

"I know. Now go," Valayris says.

Vincent races off in the direction of Cloud. Reaching Cloud Vincent can see he is under heavy attack. Firing off a few shots Cloud looks back to see Vincent.

"About time," Cloud says.

"You're the one who ran off," Vincent says firing off more rounds.

"True but I figured you guys would follow," Cloud tells him, "Where's Val?"

"At the end of the hallway," Vincent says.

"Alone?"

"That was her request,"

"When did you ever take orders from anyone?"

"It wasn't an order. It was a request, those I don't mind listening to now and again."

"You love her don't you Vincent?" Cloud asks using blade beam to take down a group of soldiers.

"This isn't the time to discuss this Cloud," Vincent says firing off a round.

"OK, I was just asking," Cloud says slicing down the last guard in front of Tifa's cell.

"Tifa, are you all right?" Cloud asks walking up to Tifa's cell.

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks to you two," Tifa sighs.

Vincent makes his way to the cell and picks the lock with his gauntlet hand.

"When did you get so good at picking locks?" Tifa asks.

"You and Cloud need to spend less time together," Vincent says.

"Huh?" Tifa asks.

"He asked me that same question when we freed him," Vincent explains.

"Oh," Tifa blushes as she walks out of the cell.

Stopping in front of Cloud Tifa looks at him.

"Tifa, did anyone hurt you?" Cloud asks quietly.

Vincent mentally sighs, "About time he shows a little compassion toward Tifa."

"No, Cloud I'm fine thanks," Tifa smiles at him.

"Tifa," Cloud says taking her hand in his.

Tifa blushes she couldn't help but wonder if this was really happening.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you. I wanted desperately to protect you," Cloud says.

"And you did Cloud, you did," Tifa assures him.

Vincent begins to feel a little anxious, they were taking to long.

"Cloud, Tifa I think..." Vincent starts when he is interrupted by a scream.

"Vincent!" Valayris screams down the hall.

"Valayris," the three of them say running down the hall.