just one more chapter after this. i'm actually feeling pretty accomplished knowing this is going to be finished up today.

(had to make some minor edits right after posting this chapter. sorry if anyone was confused.)


Chapter 30

Three years later

Our daughter is beautiful. Yuffie smiled, looking down at the raven-haired three-month-old asleep in her crib. "How was she today, Rude?"

"An angel," the dark skinned Turk smiled as he replied.

"I hope she stays that way. How much do we owe you?" The ninja gestured for Rude to follow her out of the baby's room.

"I've told you before, I won't take your money. I like watching Anessa." Rude grinned ruefully. "And it gets Reno off my back about getting out of the house more."

As they walked down the hall, Yuffie noticed that the Turk was favoring his bad leg more than usual. "You having trouble with your prosthetic again?"

"I messed it up in training yesterday. Its nothing Reeve can't fix when I go in tomorrow." He seemed unconcerned, so Yuffie decided not to worry about it anymore.

When they arrived in the living room, Rude sat down in Yuffie's rocking chair—his favorite seat when he was at their house—while the ninja sat on the handmade couch. "You're still coming over Sunday, right?"

"Sephiroth couldn't stop me."

"Am I going to have to start worrying about my daughter's virtue?" Vincent asked, coming in the front door, Galian Beast in tow.

"No worries, Valentine," Rude replied. "She's not my type."

"That's a relief." Vincent tossed his cloak over the back of the couch, then sat down next to his wife. "I don't think we could fit you and Reno into this place."

Rude chuckled and shook his head. Yuffie was amazed, as always, at the easy camaraderie between herself, Vincent and the Turks. A little over three years ago, they were enemies trying to kill each other; now the Turks babysat for the Valentines whenever they both had to be gone. It was nice, but a little surreal.

"I never asked before," Rude said suddenly, "But why didn't you ever go back to Nibelheim or Wutai? Why stay in Midgar?"

Because if Chaos comes home, he'll know he's welcome here, Yuffie wanted to answer.

"We like it here," Vincent answered, pre-empting any reply from the ninja. "And since Godo remarried and Yuffie's brother was born last year, Wutai doesn't need us. This is home now."

The bald man nodded his understanding.


After dinner, Vincent found Yuffie in their bedroom, sitting on the bed and flipping through the wedding album Elena had made for them. He stood in the doorway, just watching her for a long moment before saying anything.

"It was a beautiful wedding, wasn't it?"

Yuffie smiled and looked up at him. "Yeah, even if the cat shredded my veil and the Galian Beast wouldn't let half the guests into the church."

"He's just overly protective of us." Vincent sat down on the bed and put an arm around his wife. "He's curled up like a dog next to Nessa's bed right now, watching her. I like it when those are the only kind of problems we have."

Yuffie snuggled into her husband's embrace with a sigh. "Yeah, but sometimes it gets boring, you know?"

"I prefer boredom with you and Nessa to excitement alone."

"I think I do, too." Yuffie looked up at him, a smile lighting her face. "I love you Vincent Valentine."

"And I love you, Yuffie Kisaragi," he smiled.

"Its Valentine. Yuffie Valentine."

"I know. I just like hearing you say it." The gunslinger leaned down and pressed his lips to the ninja's.

In her room, Anessa began crying.

Yuffie pulled away from her husband and started to get up. Vincent put a restraining hand on her leg. "I'll get her. Rude isn't the only one who likes taking care of our daughter."

Yuffie smiled as she watched him leave the room. Sometimes she couldn't believe they were here together, and with a daughter no less. Most days, she still woke up expecting to find herself in the middle of nowhere, one hand on her weapon, ready to take on the first of the day's monsters.

But aside from a few scattered monster attacks on the city now and then, those days were long gone. No more fighting for AVALANCHE; everyone was well into domestic life now, even workaholic Reeve. They hadn't grown apart, despite the distances between some of them, but their weapons mostly hung on the walls gathering dust now.

With a sigh, she took Death Penalty down from its resting place on the wall over the bed. "Vince, I'm going out to put in some target practice."

"Take the Galian Beast with you," Vincent replied. "He's getting underfoot."

She laughed at the thought of the seven foot tall creature "getting underfoot" as she walked to Anessa's room.

"C'mon, Beast. Let's go out for a while."


She was glad they lived at the edge of Midgar whenever she got into one of her restless moods. There was no shortage of monsters in the ruins near their house, and if those were scarce she could always venture a little way into the plains. Mostly, though, she hunted the ruins; it was community service and stress relief in one shot.

She had picked off two ghosts and was searching for another target when a voice called out from behind her.

"Miss Yuffie, you have to come!"

Yuffie lowered Death Penalty and looked over at the youngest of their neighbors. "What is it, Dana?"

The girl had clearly been running. "Mama said she saw a big monster at your house! You have to come!" she panted.

Yuffie didn't wait for more information. She sprinted for her house.

Please, Leviathan, don't let anything have happened to them.