hoorah! hal wasn't being quite so spazzy today, so i managed to get another chapter up. if i'm really good, i mght have another too!

Chapter 25

For a long moment, Vincent sat stroking Yuffie's hair with his good hand. Then he said to Chaos, "You left us."

"I had to." Chaos looked down at the unconscious girl. "You would never have made it down the mountain without supplies. I wasn't going to just let you die again."

"And you brought Yuffie back to get me?"

"And Highwind. He was the only one of your friends who believed Yuffie and I."

"I didn't fucking believe you," Cid said, coming up beside them. "Not until we found his cloak in that cave. I just came along to make sure nothing happened to Yuffie." The pilot shot a look back at the corpses of the dragons. "And did you have to leave my spear stuck in the goddamn dragon?"

Chaos regarded Cid for a moment before asking, "Would you rather I had let Yuffie die while I retrieved it?"

"Well…no." Cid took a good look at the girl Vincent was holding and blanched. "Fuck, I didn't think she was that bad. What the hell happened?"

"My limit break," Chaos replied. "It has an effect similar to Hades' Black Cauldron. But my Darkness makes him look like a rookie."

"Why didn't you ever use it before?" Vincent asked.

"Limit breaks can't use limit breaks."

"Of course."

Before the conversation could be continued further, the Galian Beast whined and staggered to his feet. He caught sight of Chaos and nuzzled the demon affectionately before looking to Vincent and Yuffie. The Beast whined as the looked at the injured girl.

"She'll be all right, Beast," the gunslinger told him. "You did well. I doubt Yuffie would have survived without you."

The Galian Beast looked extremely pleased at Vincent's words. He settled back onto his haunches as Chaos reached over and scratched his head.

"This is touching, really," Cid broke in, "But let's get the kid back to the ship where we can take care of her right."

"Highwind is right." Chaos stood up and reached out to take Yuffie. "You're exhausted, Vincent. Let me carry her."

Vincent found himself hesitating to give Yuffie to the demon. Now that he had her back, even if she was unconscious, he didn't want to let her go—not to anyone, not for any reason. He just wanted to hold her until he knew she was all right.

But Cid was right; they should go to the ship where they could care for her properly. And Chaos was also right; he was only keeping his eyes open by force of will. He wouldn't be able to carry his love back to the airship in the worn condition he was in. Vincent placed a kiss on the ninja's forehead and let the demon take her.

Cid extended a hand to the gunman and pulled Vincent to his feet. Then, to the surprise of Vincent and Chaos, the pilot pulled him into a quick hug.

"I never thought I'd really be glad ta see you, Vince, but I am. Its damn good to see you." The pilot grinned as he pushed the stunned gunslinger away from him. "But don't you ever tell Barret I did that. I'd never hear the end."

The gunslinger smiled in response. "I'll take it to my grave."

"Good. Let's get the hell outta here."


Chaos gently laid Yuffie in the bed of her cabin and Vincent pulled the blankets up over her. He tried to piece together in his head exactly what he was feeling, but he couldn't. He was confused.

Because when he'd seen Vincent out in that clearing in the Sleeping Forest, he'd felt the same way he did whenever he saw Yuffie. It was…unsettling, to say the least.

How can I love them both? They're so different, and Vincent is male! Am I truly that attention starved?

Vincent looked at the demon in concern. "Are you all right, Chaos?"

The demon blinked, then looked at him. "Fine. Why?"

"You looked lost. If you want to talk…" He was exhausted, but if Chaos needed him, he would do what he could to help.

"Not now, Vincent. After you've rested, perhaps." But the demon doubted he'd talk even then.

Vincent nodded, to tired to really argue with his friend. "You should rest too. You're acting strange."

"Soon. Go to bed, Vincent. Yuffie will have my wings for wall mounts if I let anything else happen to you."

The gunslinger chuckled. "She would. But I'll have your wings for wall mounts if you don't take care of yourself."

Chaos looked at Vincent in shock. Am I that important to him?

"Don't look so shocked that I care." Vincent pulled off his boots, then lay down on the bed beside Yuffie. He still wasn't willing to stray too far from her side. "Good night, Chaos."

"Good night, Vincent."

As Vincent drifted off to sleep, Chaos turned the desk chair around to straddle its back. He sat with his chin resting on his arms, and thought about his situation.

Ilrya, beloved, what do I do?