Tengoko: We're reaching the final chapters of this story. Truth be told, by the time you finish this, I'll probably be ready to post the last chapter. I will before going to sleep at any rate, because I'm anxious to get started on my next installment of the Storm Series. Well, sorry it took a while to update. I really haven't been updating like I used to, I know. But, I'll try to fix that. Anyway, please review. But more importantly, enjoy.

Disclaimer: ho hum
Rated M for language and romance

Chapter 19: Like Me

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There really wasn't anything fascinating about the ceiling. There was absolutely no reason to be captivated by it, or transfixed. For that matter, it was rather dull as ceilings went. Plain white, no exciting light fixtures, no holes or signs of age to speak of. Just plain a plain, dull white color. But just now, it was all she could stare at.

She'd been crying for days without stop. Now was the first time her tears had ceased, and while she still felt like her heart had just caved in on itself, at least she wasn't crying.

She still wore the same black dress she'd worn at the cemetery. She'd only taken off her shoes when they'd come back home. The moment she'd gotten them off, she walked slowly up to her room, closing the door behind her. The visitors would be arriving shortly to pay their respects. She was in no mood for visitors.

Tifa finally tore her eyes away from the dull ceiling to look at her nightstand. A picture of Lena Mae was there. So young, so vibrant. She had so much life to offer. No more. Today was the last day that she'd ever see her daughter. Now she rest beneath the earth and her soul in the life stream.

"Babe?"

She sat up to see her husband standing at the bedroom door. He'd taken off his tie now, but he still wore his black suit. It was the neatest he'd ever worn it. "I didn't hear you come up," she said softly.

"No. I didn't think you did," he replied, walking towards her and sitting down on the edge of the bed. "They'll be arriving soon. What do you want me to tell them?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Make something up. I'm just not ready to face anybody right now. I'm not in the disposition to be told by people I don't even know that they know I'm going through a hard time, or how sorry they are."

"Tifa, this isn't like the last time. It's only friends. The funeral wasn't the only thing I've closed off from the public. There won't even be a lot of people. Just your friends and mine."

"I suppose you're going to tell me how worried they'll be if I don't make an appearance."

"Unnecessary as usual, love." He smiled slightly and the stretched out beside her, putting an arm over her waist. "How are you feeling?"

"How do you think I'm feeling?" she asked angrily.

"A little bit worse than hell would be an understatement?" She nodded. "I thought so," he said, wiping away a tear that somehow managed to fall from Tifa's eye. He kissed her cheek and brought her closer to him. She buried her face in his jacket and suddenly she was crying again.

Reno said nothing. He knew from experience that words were fruitless at this point. Even holding her was barely enough. But it was enough. And he was glad of it, for her tears always tore at him. In this instance, it evoked a few tears from him as well. "I'll miss her too," he told her.

"Why did it have to happen? Why did a little girl have to die? Why did it have to be our daughter? And why did Wesley have to be there for it? I know that he'll never recover completely from this. And there's nothing we can do. No way to bring her back. No way to make him feel as though this was not his fault. Why do these things always happen to our family?"

"Well, the odds were against as from the beginning," Reno said. "Why should fate be any different? But, we mustn't fall apart because of any of this. Yes, we've had horrible tragedies come upon us, but as long as we're together we'll get through it."

"I wish I had been there to say good-bye. It should have been me at her side instead of Wesley. He's been through so much. Too much. I hate that he's been exposed to all this pain and tragedy at such a young age. He's not even fourteen years old yet and he's been forced to deal with things most people never have to deal with."

"I'm worried about him, too," Reno said. He hadn't told Tifa about their conversation at the hospital. It would only make her concern greater. Besides, that was the kind of talk that should remain between the people who were there. At any rate, Reno knew exactly what was going through Wesley's mind, and he knew that it'd take years before any sort of normalcy settled back into his life.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Well, we can't stay here," he said slowly. "We have to get out of Midgar. Too much has happened here."

Tifa sat up at that. Had she heard him right? He wanted to move? "But…what about your campaign."

"I'm officially removing myself from the running tomorrow," he said. "I've also talked to a realtor. She's looking at houses in Wutai. I figured it be better for Wes to be around kids his own age. And I think it'd be good for you to be closer to Yuffie and Vincent. It's either that, or rocket town. But, I do hate Rocket Town."

"You mean it?" she asked in disbelief. "We're really going to move to Wutai?"

"Yes, babe. We've been in Midgar too long. I can't think of anything better than starting a new life, with a new baby, in a new place." He put his hand on her stomach and kissed her. "Rufus is sad to see me go, but I told him he didn't have much of a choice."

Tifa looked down at her hands, which were now entwined in his, and found herself crying again. Reno kissed her forehead and pulled her back into his embrace in an attempt to comfort her.

Before he could say anything else, their door opened again and Wesley walked slowly to the foot of their bed. His eyes were downcast and his shoulders slumped. Reno and Tifa both looked at him anxiously. Reno sat up and stared intently at his son who'd yet to return his gaze.

"Cid and Shera have arrived," he informed them. "They're downstairs waiting."

"Alright, son," Reno said, rising to his feet. "Do you still want me to make something up for you, babe?"

"No, Re. I'll go down and mingle I suppose." She stood up as well, and walked around the bed to where her son stood. "Wesley, if you aren't ready to face anybody yet, you don't have to. Your father and I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"No. I want to be there," he said, finally looking up. "I've got a lot to make up for, and I couldn't very well do that holed up in my room. Besides, I still have to apologize to Shera for what I did to her."

Tifa smiled and put her arms around him. "My, you're getting tall," she said. "It's almost as if I blinked and suddenly you're becoming a man."

"I've still got a long way to go," he said sadly. "There are some promises I have to fulfill before I can truly call myself a man."

"Wes…" Reno began, knowing the intent behind the words. "Rufus Shinra has some of the best people searching for him. I promise, he will be brought to justice."

"I won't be comforted until I know that Gordon Manning cannot harm anybody ever again. Every minute that he is free, my anger and resentment grow stronger. The bastard killed my baby sister. I will not stand by and let that go unpunished. Besides, I told him so myself. I vowed that I would make him pay."

Tifa looked at Reno significantly. Reno didn't notice. His eyes were fixed on his son who'd visibly become angrier. His brow furrowed with worry and regret. And there was nothing he could say to make his son think any differently. It seemed his mind had already been made up. The only thing that reassured him was that he was confident Rufus would catch Manning before Wes had the chance to exact his vengeance. He had no doubt that his son would try.

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Reno demanded, putting his hand on his son's shoulder. "Let's just go downstairs and greet our guests. Okay?" Tifa and Wesley nodded.

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Vincent stood against the wall next to the fireplace. To Wesley, he looked very strange. It could've been because he was used to seeing him in his cape of dark crimson. Today he was in a suit, very similar to the type the Turks sport. Also, he'd abandoned his claw arm and his hair was out of his face. All in all…he looked very human. But his eyes refuted that notion. After all, you can change the appearance of a creature, but a beast is and will always be a beast.

There was something he did admire about Vincent Valentine. The stoic nature. You always had to guess what he was thinking, and even then, you were still left to wonder. He never gave himself away. Never let you inside his mind. He wondered how somebody as lively as Yuffie fell in love with a man so guarded. Even Veronica said she rarely knew what her father was feeling.

Did he feel? He must be able to. After all, he was extremely protective of his children, devoted to his wife, and detested her father. All of which required emotion. And yet, he was still so enigmatic. Wesley wished he could be more like him.

After a while, Vincent finally removed himself from where he stood and made his way over to Wesley. He sat beside him and folded his arms. "I noticed that you were sitting by yourself. I came to rectify that."

"I don't have anything else to say to anybody, that's all," he defended.

"Contemplating your life, then?" he asked, his voice still one-toned. "You're thinking too much about what happened. You are angry and bitter. If you continue to harbor it the way you've been doing, it will grow into something much worse. Hatred and an overpowered urge to seek vengeance. And in turn, even that grows into something else."

"What?"

He closed his eyes and smirked. "Chaos."

Wesley shook his head. "I don't understand."

"No. I wouldn't expect you to. After all, it was before you were born." Vincent opened his eyes and looked at him. "Your mother is worried about you."

"She told you that?" Wesley asked.

"No. You can just tell. She keeps glancing at you as if to make sure that you are all right. You are all right, aren't you?"

"I'm as well as you might expect."

"A simple no would suffice in that case."

"Vincent, I've known you all of my life. And yet, I've heard you say more today than I have in all days before this combined."

"I didn't have anything else to say to anybody, that's all." Wesley laughed. "You and I are more alike than you might realize. That's why I'm talking to you, Wesley. I see a lot of myself in you. The fortunate part about that is, you also have your mother and your father. In that way, I'm assured of your well being. That is, if you don't let the anger consume you."

"Vincent, I'd really love it if you'd start making sense."

"You're a smart boy, Wesley Cid Storm. You know exactly what I'm trying to tell you. Don't sacrifice your humanity in attempt to punish those who have wronged you. Be forgiving like your mother. Be resilient like your father. Don't be a monster…like me."