What do I do now? The festivities are over. The rest of Avalanche are gone. Technically this is the ideal time to slip out unnoticed. In any other situation I would have used this exact moment to grab anything I need and leave without a trace. I would break into Cid's room and take my leg, grab a few supplies from the kitchen and be off. There would have been nothing anyone could have said to make me stay. Nothing. Any other day I would have done just that.

I don't know where I would have gone, and it wouldn't have mattered. I would just be away from here. I would remember their company with fondness and nothing else. I would know that in their minds I was just aloof-old-creepy-Vincent, but at least I won't be remembered as something much worse.

…But he just had to leave. She just had to confide in me. She just had to cry, hadn't she? She just had to imprint that crying face into my already tear-laden memories. Don't you understand I would have been gone by now?

Unable to take her sorrow-stricken face, now in peaceful slumber, I get up, snatch my book and am about to head to my room when I hear a noise.

Someone is walking above us on the walkway to the cockpit. Heavy boots, steady steps. Someone's trying to be quiet but there's a sense of urgency in those footfalls. I look up and just see the bottom of military boots. As the unknown intruder walks by, I ready myself and jump.

Injured or not, necessity takes precedence.

I land with a grunt despite myself. My lungs scream at me, and my remaining leg threatens to follow in the path of its counterpart. I feel another bout of nausea, but ignore it. My muscles hurt and I'm just a little dizzy. I'm alright. I can usually jump a measly story with no effort. Damn.

The person swiftly turns around, startled. If Aleonde, my old commander at the Turks saw me right now, he'd fire me.

It's Cloud.

He looks haunted, tired, but determined.

"Vincent…!" He exclaims. I assume it took him a moment to recognize me in the shadows and without my cloak. How young he is! And how foolish. A brave man, no doubt. He was true to his heart and he never gave up. Or maybe that was Zack? It doesn't matter. I followed him into fire and mako and the possibility of sharp teeth. I saved his life and he saved mine. I respect him, even if we had never become friends.

"I heard you left." I say. Remaining in the squat in which I landed, balanced on one foot. The walkway that runs right above the common area is scarcely lit right now. He shouldn't be able to see much more than my silhouette. I can see him perfectly. Maybe this is how I will remember him forever? His face an impossible mix of uncertainty and determination. People will call him a Hero, but I shall always see him as a boy, trying to figure out what it takes to be a man.

"I did." He says. What's on your mind, young warrior? Why are you in so much pain if it's all over?

Everyone around me is hurt. We are all unhappy. The festivities are over and now reality sinks in. Reality hurts. We lost, Cloud. We lost the moment we were put in the situation where he had nothing to lose. The moment we all realized that we're willing to die for the planet, we lost.

We lost because we won and now having nothing to lose just means that we have nothing left.

"I have to go." He explains, almost pleads. What, Cloud, did you think I'd judge you? It is only the pain you're causing her that agitates me. "You understand, right? I have to get myself straightened out. I have to know certain things- I need answers." You're doing this for you, I guess. What else can you do? Being with her was impossible ever since Aeris. If you don't go with her you break her heart, if you do go with her it'll be out of pity. She'll be the consolation prize and everybody will know it- even her. "We were talking about it earlier." He continues. "I'll start traveling and I'll find a job. She said she wanted to open an orphanage here in Midgar- or at least close."

An orphanage? That means a whole bunch of Marlenes running around? Holy help us. I'll be staying away from that place. I'll stay away from Midgar all together. But first I need to get the room to stop spinning when I move my head.

He peeks down and sees her sleeping in my cloak. Good thing he can't see if I blush or not. He looks at me with this worried frown.

"How is she?"

You know you hurt her.

How did I end up in the middle of this little drama? Wrong place at the wrong time. The story of my life.

"As can be expected." I answer. Nothing else seems fair. The truth would hurt Tifa, a blatant lie would not be just to him. He cringes.

"I'm sorry." He says. What are you apologizing for me for? You're not really sorry. If you were really sorry you'd try and make it up to her, not sneak out while she's sleeping. He then looks pleading again. "Keep an eye on her?"

Me? Don't get me involved. I stay quiet. I'll make you no promises, Cloud. I will not attempt to fix the break you have caused, nor will I ease the guilt in you with an empty assurance. You were brave until now, so why are you running?

Why are you running, Vincent?

He walks towards me and I stand up. He stops as soon as I straighten fully and glances at me up and down once, swallows nervously. Maybe it's our height difference, or maybe it's just my missing leg. He then looks me in the eye,

"I can't live with the regret of not doing anything. I don't want to live knowing I just watched her die. You know what it's like, right? To have done nothing?"

Don't you dare mention that, Cloud. Don't you dare. Yes. I understand you. But- Don't say it like that. Don't say it like you don't want to end up like me. Don't say it like it was the same. Don't say it like I don't feel it- like I might have forgotten, like you might dare to judge me. I'm angry with you, Cloud. You'd better go.

He smiles simply and extends his hand. Oh? Which hand do you want? The one that's cracked and bandaged, or the one that'll shred your wrist? Good. Lower your hand.

He leaves.

.

Hi! Here's the new chapter, right on schedule. I know this chapter is pretty short (2 pages). I try to have the chapters at least 3 pages long. For compensation I might update on Tuesday with the next chapter, which is longer than average. If it doesn't show up on Tuesday, then Saturday as usual.

This chapter caused me no little amount of grief. I mean, next chapter takes us to the next day, and I'm not sure if this beat is necessary. I was half a mind to toss this chapter out the window and just go directly to the next day. Please let me know what you think. If I update early, please tell me if you think this chapter is superfluous. Sometimes I know you have to get rid of things you like, but I really like the line about having nothing to loose means having nothing left. I'm proud of that line. There. I said it.

As always, your comments are my air, so sweet to breath in.

Darknightdestiny: Congratulations on a baby boy! I am very happy for you and I'm sure that he'll have the best life in the world. What's his name, if I may ask? If his name is Vincent…

Tirnam'Bas: I like the parallel you drew with Tifa being Vincent's microwave… slowly warming his heart. I thought that was very well put!

Tolea: You want me to beta? I'll do it with honor. bow But I must warn you that I'm no good at grammar and spelling, as my chapters clearly betray.

Ataea and everyone else: Please let me know as we progress what you may want to see in the sequel. Anything at all, really! I'm not saying I'll necessarily use all the suggestions, but I'm sure you guys have tons of ideas! Anything you'd like to see in my style? I have a few ideas, mainly that the sequel will be more about Vincent's past and his telling of it. Nothing is set in stone, though. I don't know how much people would want to see my version of it – it's been done to death, after all. Please let me know!

Tiramisu: Yes, when Vincent says "Damnit, Vincent!" He's damning himself. It's Vincent we're talking about, he'll never damn anyone but himself.
I always look forward to your reviews.

LilTigre: Thanks again for the help. Please continue to point out my grammar mistakes (Grammatical mistakes? See? I can't even do that. ). It's a great help and I need all the help I can get when it comes to English!

For you people who said that I make you look forward to weekends… Everytimes someone says it I just get choked with emotion, which is very rare for me… The knowledge that I'm affecting people that I've never met, people from all sorts of places and each with an infinite amount of stories in each life… It's a feeling I never really had before. Thank you!