A/N: First fight scenes. Hope it's okay.

I write but do not own. You read at night all alone.

Chapter 3

Death In Cosmo Canyon

Cid knew something had gone wrong he just didn't know how. He had planted his spear at an angle so as to impale the Vagrisk as it fell but the satisfying jolt as the spear tip pierced the demons thorax never happened. It had spun in midair and landed just to the left of where Cid was standing. Using two of its rubbery arms it had dislodged the spear from Cid's hand and was now advancing on him in a low crouch. Now with most individuals this would have been a cause for concern but Cid was just pissed. Moving to his left side to keep the demon in front Cid watched for the tell tail shift in weight that would indicate the demon was about to attack. He didn't have long to wait. As the creature feinted to the left Cid froze for a split second and that convinced the thing it was about to feed on the yellow haired one. At the very last second before it latched onto Cid he spun to the one side and with a short upward thrust with his trailing arm plunged a six inch curved blade up into the surprised beast's small brain through it's open mouth. "Good thing I always pack a couple of these little beauties as back-up." The blood was as thick as syrup and oozed down the hilt and onto Cid's gloved hand which didn't help his mood. Withdrawing the blade, Cid let the carcus slump in a heap onto the ground. He wiped the gore from his blade and placed it back into one of four small sheaths at his waste. He then turned to see Tifa surrounded by five of the deadly creatures."What the hell."

He grabbed the spear off the ground on the run and was twenty paces from Tifa's position when he saw the most amazing display. She had turned toward the nearest of her staulkers and with a spinning back kick nearly took the thing's head off. The second of confusion that caused was all she needed. With a speed hard to follow with the naked eye she was in the air and was pushing off the large boulder beside her to launch herself back toward the demons. The momentum made the next series of moves lethal. First one then two then three of the beasts fell from death blows from the beauty in black. As she was turning to meet the first demon she had hit and the one undamaged as of yet, a most unusual thing happened. They both stopped and turned as if to flee but never got more than a half step before a dark shaft with a glinting point pierced both through the centre of their backs.They fell over side ways still connected by Cid's spear. After a few final death spasms the pair were still.

"Wow Cid, I didn't know you were that good to get both with one throw." Tifa grudgingly acknowledged as he jogged up to her.

Cid looked rather sheepish as he said. " Actually I was only aiming at the farthest one and the other simply got in the way." The sickening sound of Cid's spear being removed from the bodies was enough to gag a surgeon but neither of these two seemed to notice.

"Well, either way I'm grateful." That simple phrase meant more to Cid than Tifa realised and he would remember it fondly.

As Cid was inspecting the body count he noted. "I think we got them all but I'm a little confused as to how three extra buggers showed up out of nowhere."

"Yes. I didn't have the luxury at the time but I sure would like to find out now." Tifa said as she began sweeping the immediate vacinity. After several minutes Cid came across the entrance to the burrow. He wouldn't have found it at all except for the fact the demons had left the well concealed cover off and he almost fell into the hole.

"That's a new trick for these demons. Godammit I wish we could get word to Vincent and Yuffie about this." The worry in her voice was not difficult to pick up.

Yuffie was proceeding on the assumption Vincent was in position and that she had been undetected on her approach. She was half right. Neither took into account their life force auras were radiating like beacons to these creatures. The sounds Yuffie heard were a crude language that Vagrisks used infrequently as it contained no more than a few rudimentary phrases. Unfortunately for the two Avalanche members one such phrase was "Wait. Then feed much."

Yuffie was as close as she felt she could go and still remain hidden. Here was where she silently placed her shuriken in the fighting grip that was second nature to her now. Getting low she took a calming breath and mentally ran through her first several moves. A technique used very effectively by the Ninja Clan. At the last moment she turned in Vincent's direction. Even though he was not visible she felt a need to make that connection. Pushing off strongly with her back leg and raising her weapon above her head she charged at the right flank screaming as load as possible knowing that these demons would be easily startled: and it did appear at first to be working. She planned on moving in and taking out as many stragglers as possible before the bulk reached Vincent's position where his long barrel would deal out rapid-fire death.

The light from the moon might have just saved Yuffie's life this night. It had reached just the right height to reflect off the rock face behind the Vagrisks. She clearly saw the mass of demons split neatly into two groups with one charging in an arc towards Vincent and the other straight towards her. Now, most humans seeing one of these things bearing down on them would panic and run just as fast as possible in the opposite direction. Most humans.Yuffie however is of a different ilk. She counted five rushing her and actually pushed herself harder and picked up speed which closed the gap sooner than the beasts anticipated . This resulted in the quick beheading of two. The bodies seemed to stand at attention while a mass of dark blood fountained out of the neck stumps and then slowly crumpled to the ground. To make matters worse for the remaining demons, Yuffie had deftly spun her shuriken over her head and struck the two sculls with the flat of one blade while they hung momentarily in the air. Her aim was perfect. It had the desired affect of causing two of the three to become entangled while trying to dodge the bloody orbs. These ones she ignored and instead went around them to confront the one still moving to attack her. She spun her shuriken behind her back to gain rotation speed and as she slowed, brought it around in a tight, flat arc intending to cut across the beast's midriff. It proved to be faster than the others and managed to slightly shift its weight while spinning away from Yuffie's left. It was fast but Yuffie was faster. As it passed she flipped the blade to her left hand and sliced across the creatures armored back causing a sound like bullet hitting rock. She had managed to remove two of its arms and slice deeply into its side. It was past her before she could turn and its focus was now not on feeding but on surviving. Before it could get two paces Yuffie had changed direction and was upon it slicing through its tendons at the back of it's legs. It stumbled,began falling and was dead before it hit the ground from a thrust just below the base of the scull which carried on out the front of the neck.

Her attention was now on the remaining two. They had quickly recovered and were circling in opposite directions just out of Yuffie's reach. "It seems the ugly plugs can think." She thought. Just at that moment the sharp crack of several shots echoed off the walls beside her. The two took no notice so intent on the tiny human before them and the prospect of feeding of her. "Sounds like Mr. Valentine is taking cars of business. But mustn't forget about my two dance partners." With the shots still bouncing back and forth between the canyon walls one demon made it's move. It leapt high and to her right with surprising speed. She shifted her right foot slightly to widen her stance and then did the unexpected. She dropped to the ground in a scissor split and as the demon was aiming clawed feet at her mid section it left itself exposed to a quick thrust up into it's groin and deep into its gut. It was not an instant kill but it was good enough to take it out of the fight. The second Vagrisk moved a split second after the first and was nearly on her when it changed direction. It was as if someone had tied a rope to it and yanked it sideways and the only thing more surpised than Yuffie was the Vagrisk.

Vincent watched as Yuffie silently moved closer to the loose group of demons. The plan was still a good one but he couldn't help but second guess his decision to let her be the first to make contact. It was then the little fact about Vagrisks and the way they hunted surfaced from his memories. The goddam things could sense human life force auras. He was looking towards Yuffie's position when he saw her rise up and begin to move quickly toward the farthest clutch of creatures. Yelling was out of the question as the distraction might put Yuffie in greater danger. He had to get there and right now.

Someone watching him would have marveled at the blinding speed with which Vincent rose up and started toward Yuffie. As he moved closer the second clutch of Vagrisks were moving to intercept him. Drawing his long barrel he mentally assigned priority to his targets, counted to ensure he had enough ammo and calculated the optimum firing range, all the while running at full speed. The first three shots dropped the front runners in a pile directly in the path of the three trailing behind. The sight of three of their kind with sizable holes in their sculls caused a chain reaction of confusion. The next two fell as they turned to flee and were dead before slamming into the rocky ground. The last surviving demon decided to turn 90 degrees and head into the dark shadows of the rough canyon floor. It was a good idea except Vincent was the one human for whom darkness was an old friend. If demons could show surprise this one would have. The bullet tore into its back and exploded out the front of its chest, spraying blood and bits of flesh across the dirt. Vincent's focus instantly turned back to Yuffie and his chest tightened at the sight of two demons circling her. As good as she was she couldn't defend against attacks from two directions. He watched intently as she dispatched the first attacker but his heart sank as the second moved to attack her back. He lifted his gun but realised he was empty. The speed of his reload couldn't have been measured with any high tech machine especially as he did it while running. The shot was at the extreme range of the long barrel's accuracy but the speed of this beast was impressive. He brought the gun to shoulder height and fired in one single fluid motion catching the demon in mid leap, just below the second rib killing it instantly.

"Nice shot cowboy." Yuffie was trying to sound light hearted but the tension was there and Vincent didn't miss it.

"Just doin my job maam."

"Better leave the corny jokes to me." She said this with a wide grin but truth was, humour was never going to be part of Vincent's charm.

There followed a long silence in which the two went through a few post fight necessities. Vincent finished loading his gun and Yuffie cleaned the blades of her shuriken of the now drying blood. No words were spoken but quick glances seemed to reasure themselves of the other's proximity. Neither seemed comfortable with this but didn't seem to want the moment to end.

Vincent finally said. "Well."

"Yes" She answered before the word had finished passing across his lips.

"I guess we should move toward the pick up location. It's about a hours walk. OK?."

"Why do I want him to stop talking and kiss me. I can't believe I've fallen for the man I have nothing in common with." "Sure. Lets get started shall we?"

"OK. Good." With that Vincent started to move off in the direction of the Fire Gem Mine. He paused just long enough to make sure Yuffie was coming and they began walking. Only someone who knew them both very well could spot the subtle changes in their body language. They were a couple even if they didn't realise it.

Tifa and Cid covered the distance to Barret at the Fire Gem Mine in about half the time a well trained runner could do it. They, however were running to possibly save two friends' lives.

Cid was first to the side door of the flier and climbed in and between gasps for breath blurted out. " Are they ...here...yet?"

" I suspect you mean Yuffie and Vincent, and as you can see they're n..." The heaving form and tortured expression on Cid's face instantly put Barret on alert. " What's happened and tell me precisely."

In that instant Tifa entered the passenger compartment and being slightly more composed than Cid explained about the Vagrisk's new tactics.

"This is serious. Have either of you tried your phones?" As soon as he asked, Barret knew that was the first thing they did even knowing it was futile. Without waiting for an answer or looking at Tifa or Cid he was slipping out of his harness. "We need to move off toward their drop-off and we need to do it now. Cid you are the only one here who can carry off that kind of flying so get your ass in that pilot's set."

Vincent and Yuffie had been walking over the uneven ground for about a half hour when she stopped, turned to look at him and abruptly tripped on the hem of her long coat. Her forward motion thrust her into Vincent and he easily caught her up in his arms.

"Sorry" Was all she managed to blurt out when he slowly brought her further into his chest. His pale but painfully handsome face was leaning closer to hers and she lifted her head slightly which brought their lips together. It was a soft, tender kiss to start but passion soon took hold and their bodies seemed to mesh together at every possible contact point, but especially their mouths.

The kiss seemed to go on forever but it was just that time was suspended for these two vastly different souls. Falling in love can do that.

Just as Yuffie was beginning to think they would stay this way for an eternity, Vincent abruptly pushed her away and then dropped his arms to his sides. " I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let that happen. I can't get involved in another relationship after...Vincent averted his eyes as Yuffie's expression had morphed from mild curiosity to surprise to deep anguish.

"How can you just dismiss me as ' another relationship'. I felt that kiss or are you going to tell me you weren't involved in that as well." She was rapidly going from anguish to anger.

"No...It's just a mistake for us when we have to work together. We are in a dangerous situation and can't afford the distraction this would become.".

"Distraction!... Distraction! I'm sorry if you think me loving you is a distraction. I will remove this distraction from your sight as soon as we get back to Avalanche." As she spat out the last sentence she turned and marched off toward their destination: more so to stop him seeing the large tears that had begun to cascade down her silk cheeks than a need to walk away. "I just told the man I loved him. Do I ? She answered her own question, not with words or thoughts but the deep pain of a breaking heart.

"How do I get myself into these things? I never pursued this and I'm just trying to save her from the pain I know will come." That sounded lame and selfish and all he felt at this moment was contempt for himself.

"If you keep on like this I'll get laid before you do." He refused to even acknowledge Chaos' disgusting interjection.

Yuffie was crying and in such a state she didn't hear the growing roar of the turbofans as the flier approached. She also didn't notice the slight change in the sound of her footsteps over a flat section of the ground.

Vincent heard and then saw the flier at about the same time it turned toward their location. As he looked to find Yuffie, hoping the arrival would save him from another confrontation, a movement caught his eye. Just to her left and slightly behind it appeared that a section of ground was moving.

The Vagrisk sensed the passing of prey and it's instincts took control. When it was sure the potential meal had passed by it clambered silently out of the burrow and began to move up behind slowly. It was planning on getting close enough to latch on with it's four arms, drag the prey back into the burrow and leisurely feed with the five other brethren still underground.

Vincent began moving when he realised what was coming out of the ground behind Yuffie. The flier was closer now which explained why his shouts to Yuffie went unheeded or she was ignoring him. "How to cover the distance before the demon strikes and kill it." This was just one of many thoughts going through his mind. He couldn't shoot as the bullet would pass through the demon and strike Yuffie as the creature was now directly in line with her. He had to get there and intercept it. It was at that moment that Vincent realised that his life was not worth living if it didn't involve Yuffie. He was nearly within striking distance when he heard a booming voice yell. "LOOK BEHIND YOU!" It was Barret leaning out the co-pilot's window as the flier descended to the ground.

Barret's yell brought Yuffie out of the daze of heartbreak into instant alertness. Yuffie looked up through her now red rimmed eyes to see the flier banking just ahead of her for it's touchdown. Without thinking she grabbed her shuriken while it was still in it's harness on her back, bent at a painful angle from the waist and pointed the bottom facing blade directly backwards.

Vincent had felt despair. He had lost a great love, been within death's grip many times and was imprisoned as a living corpse for decades. These were nothing compared to the soul shattering agony of realising he could not reach Yuffie in time. The great bass voice of Barret then ripped the air in front of him and he saw Yuffie Kasaragi, beautiful Yuffie Kasaragi, amazing Yuffie Kasaragi perform the impossible.

The Vagrisk was a step from its prey when the glittering tip of the shuriken rose up and pierced it 's abdomen. The momentum of it's attack couldn't be blunted by the deadly point and the blade continued to penetrate it's body and out it's back. The momentum also caused the now dead beast to crash into Yuffie and knock her down landing on top of her back: the shuriken trapped between them.

Barret, Sid and Tifa had by now dissembarked from the flier and were heading in Vincent's and Yuffie's direction but at a slightly slower pace after seeing the little ninja defy every fighting concept and still win.

Vincent was a couple of paces from Yuffie when the five demons erupted out of the dugout in the earth. They were upon him before he could turn to face them which provided the lead demon a perfect back attack. It used one of it's powerful legs to rake across Vincent's right side and back leaving deep gashes that weeped crimson. Even with this severe a wound Vincent's reflexes didn't slow and he had his long barrel out as he spun around and fired three quick shots. Two struck the demon who had sliced him, killing it instantly. The third bullet shatterd the lower leg of another almost to the point of taking it completely off. The three remaining demons however, had struck him full force and knocked him onto his back on the hard packed ground.

Yuffie was about to berate Vincent again for not extricating her from the dead weight of a smelly demon when the three shots rang out. She was almost to her feet and instantly turned towards the sound and saw Vincent go down. She screamed. Cid insists that scream shattered the lens in his flying goggles that night. He goes to great lengths to show anyone who is even remotely curious a pair of shattered flying goggles and proudly announces. "See. I told you."

She pulled her shuriken from the bloody heap in the ground and began running toward Vincent. The last demon that landed on Vincent was the first to die at the hands of the little tornado called Yuffie Kasaragi. The tiny, weigh nothing teenage girl plucked this solid beast off Vincent's back and flung it to the ground. Before it could recover she sliced it open from neck to groin spilling the awful contents of it's abdomen on the ground. The two Vagrisks locked in a death struggle with Vincent were not yet aware of the death of the third and continued to attack. Vincent, losing more blood as the struggle went on finally freed his armored hand and plunged all five steel daggers into the ribs of one of the beasts causing it to let him go and roll off to one side. If the wounded demon thought it was safe to escape it was fataly mistaken. One quick thrust and two points of the shuriken snuffed out what remained of its life. The final demon was becoming aware of the lack of comrades when an oversized hand with an oversized metal tube where a cuff would be grabbed it around the throat.

The three from the flier were watching as the fight seemed to unfold in slow motion before them. Feeling more than a little helpless they continued on at a furious pace and were rewarded with the final kill. Barret still holding the now squirming beast tossed it far into the air and when it was silhouetted against the moon he aimed and fired his gattlings. It wasn't that the demon was shot or even riddled with bullets it was minced into tiny chunks of bloody flesh, guts and bone.

Yuffie bent down and gasped as she saw the blood oozing from behind Vincent's cape. "Quick Tifa, he's injured."

Tifa turned and ran back to the flier to retrieve the medical kit containing dressings and materia ointments but turned back to yell. "Keep him warm and still until I get back."

Vincent was having none of that. " I'm okay. Help me up." Yuffie looking paler than Vincent pleaded." You heard Tifa. Stay still. You're bleeding."

Cid and Barret were hovering just off to one side looking intently at the still prone Vincent. "Don't worry Yuffie I've cut myself worse shaving." Cid unconvincingly muttered.

This didn't help. Yuffie was becoming more agitated and Vincent thought the only way to calm her was to show he was alright. It was a nasty triple gash but due to his enhanced healing abilities the blood flow was beginning to slow. He gently removed Yuffie's hands from his shoulders and asked Barret for a lift up. Yuffie sputtered but couldn't stop the large man from easily pulling Vincent to his feet.

" There. You can see I'm not hurt all that bad Yuffie. A little materia salve, some bandages and Ill be ready to kick Cid's butt in sparring." He forced his voice to sound matter of fact but the truth was there was a lot of pain and some numbness on his right side.

" Okay. I feel a little better now that you're up. But you are not going to let this get you out of explaining why you pushed me away after we kissed."

"KISSED? " Cid and Barret looked at each other and sniggered like eight year olds.

Yuffie turned on them and said ." Yes. We kissed. You two have a problem?"

"No... No... We got no problem." They began backing away as they uttered the weak reply. "We'll wait at the flier." And picked up their pace.

Vincent gingerly started to move in that direstion as well. He just didn't let Yuffie see the wince as he took that first step. But she did.

"You're in pain. Here put your arm around my shoulders." She was slightly more comfortable with his moving as long as she could help.

Vincent very nearly declined the offer but thought better of it for two reasons. He didn't want to upset her again by snubbing her offer and far more important, he wanted to have her touch him and he her. They started slowly and were about five paces along when a slight movement to Yuffie's left caught Vincent's eye. It was the injured Vagrisk. It must have played dead while it's fellow demons were killed and the pain and blood loss made it crazed. It ignored the bloody pulp that was it's left leg and was using one of it's long, flexible arms as a sort of crutch and it was nearly on them. Vincent knew in a moment it was going for Yuffie and it was going for her exposed neck. A certain death bite. He threw her down and to the right and grabbed the wildly thrashing creature around it's chest: Trying to keep the grotesque mouth from doing to him what it was going to do to Yuffie.

Yuffie was so startled by the push to the ground it was a second before she realised what was going on. By then the demon and Vincent were in a death struggle: wildly thrashing with the demon's arms wrapped around Vincent and he hanging on with all his rapidly waning strength. "Vincent. Hold on. I'm coming." It was all she could think of to say as she sprang up from the ground and placed her shuriken in her trembling hands. She could see Vincent's back as she approached and over his shoulder the gaping mouth and rows of teeth bearing down on his neck. " Turn him so I can have a clear attack ." She shouted.

Barret and Cid having heard the shouting quickly turned back only to see the struggle well involved and them too far away to be of any immediate help. They yelled for Tifa and headed back as fast as humanly possible.

Vincent was nearly loosing his grip but with the last of his strength and Yuffie's voice urging him on he managed to turn the rabid creature. Yuffie made her thrust but the demon twisted just enought to spin Vincent halfway around and toward Yuffie.

"VINCENT..."

Chaos was the first to notice and told Vincent he should look down. There sticking neatly out his lower chest was a slightly pinkish shuriken blade. "Now that's something you don't see every day. Eh Vinnie." The balance of the blade was actually deep within the chest cavity if the obviously dead demon. With a slight push from Vincent on it's shoulders the demon slid off the blade and to the ground. This left a good portion now out in front of Vincent. He looked down again and still not feeling any pain thought he would step forward to remove himself from this silly position.Yuffie was frozen. Unable to lesson her grip on the weapon, unable to avert her eyes from the sight of what she had done, until Vincent's back began to move away from her. He moaned as he fell forward and off the tip of the still glistening weapon.

"Vincent..." Yuffie could only watch in horror as the the red cape fluttered around the now prone Vincent. As first the demon and then Vincent fell Yuffie seemed to be watching from outside her own body. Was it so unreal to her or was it so painful as to force her mind to seek shelter in a dream. The cries of the others brought her back from that momentary madness and she dropped her beloved shuriken in disgust and collapsed at Vincent's head to ever so gently cradled him in her lap. He opened his eyes and saw a tear stained face looking back.

"It's okay Yuffie. It doesn't really hurt." Yuffie had to bend closer to hear the words coming from the only man she would ever love. " I'm sorry I made you cry. I lo...

"NOOOOOOOOOO! VINCENT... VINCENT... YOU CANNOT DIE. NOT NOW. NOT HERE. I WON'T LET YOU. GET UP. GET UP..."

The three friends stood around their fallen comrade and the sobbing form of Yuffie. Tifa saw in a n instant the wound from Yuffie's shuriken had done considerable damage. He was breathing, as the rise and fall of his chest was visible even in the dark.He was breathing but not well. The slight sucking sound only she heard was a sure sign a lung was punctured.

"Cid, Barret pick him up carefully and get him into the ship.Yuffie I need you to let him go now." Tifa was trying to sound soothing and commanding at the same time. "If we are going to save him we have to get him loaded and in the air now."

"You mean he's alive." Yuffie managed to get out between sobs. Unable to focus was a sign of approaching shock. She had not picked up on his breathing.

Tifa bent down to Yuffie's level and placed her hands on either side of her face and looked intently into her eyes. " I promise you I will not let him die. Do you believe me? The depth of Tifa's conviction was a life line for Yuffie and she nodded once and gave up Vincent's form to the only two men she would ever have trusted with him.

They were airborn in minutes. Two seats were reclined to form a makeshift bed and Tifa was frantically trying to stem the flow of blood. As she worked, all eyes were on her except Cid who was a marvel of concentration in the pilot's seat. She began to quietly whisper. " Vincent Valentine you will not die and make me a liar. Do you hear.? I gave Yuffie my word and I will be very pissed if you fuck that up."

Thanks to Cid's remarkable flying they were back in record time, landing on the infirmiry grounds at day break.

End of Chapter3