6 AM, City of Edge, 7th Heaven Bar...

The kitchen was busy with both Tifa and Aerith were cooking up breakfast for the bar residence, who are still upstairs getting dressed for the day. They had a written list on the table with breakfast option that they both came up with. By now, they had finished making some scrambled eggs and fresh orange juice. They were still deciding on what to prepare for the kids, it was either waffles or pancakes.

"Maybe we should make waffles, it's usually much preferred by the kids," Tifa suggested as her finger circled the item on the list.

"I guess so," Aerith answered, though the brunette noticed that her friend was a tad bit spacey.

"Are you ok? You look out of it today?"

"Oh its nothing, I'm just nervous," Aerith answered as she pushed her wheelchair away from the kitchen counter. She made her way to the fridge to get the ingredients for the waffle. "Zack and I are planning to visit our parents this afternoon. So I'm not sure how they'll react."

"Oh right, Elmyra accepted that you died. And Zack's don't even know what had happened to him."

"I already contacted them, they took it pretty well."

"That's great, then you shouldn't worry. You already passed the hard part of all this." Tifa reassured her friend, giving her a gentle pat on her shoulder as she helped carry the ingredients.

"I guess so... though I imagine Zack having an even harder time." she did her hardest not to mention her discomfort about explaining to both parents about her condition.

"He'll be fine. I'm sure he already has a plan in mind." Again, Tifa reassured her before their attention was back at cooking the rest of the breakfast. Not realizing that something else was bothering her friend.

~.~.~

"I'm freaking out mentally, what do I even tell them? 'Hi mom, dad, sorry I haven't written or called in the last few years. I was K.I.A just hours before escaping from a secret lab belonging to Shinra.'"

"Well, that would be an interesting story."

"Come on, Cloud, I'm serious," Zack complained, humor in his tone as both men were on the second floor making sure that Denzel and Marlene were up and getting ready for school. While the blond was in his usual black on black attire, Zack was dressed casually in a light blue buttoned-up shirt and denim blue jeans. Since both, he and Aerith are planning visits to their parents, but packing was slow. Not to mention, the nagging was getting too much for him.

"Just don't mention it," Cloud added half-heartedly while leaning on the door frame.

"but they'll ask about it."

"So? Just say you were busy. I'm sure they'll be more interested in your girlfriend than anything."

Zack itched the back on his head, reeling his head back slightly so that he was staring at the ceiling "I... Well, I guess that will be the case."

"So about your trip, need any help?" Cloud looked back at the kids. They had finished getting dressed and washed, searching for their school bags.

"You can help me with planning my route since you traveled Gaia a lot for your job."

The two men continued to chat, all while Denzel and Merlene finally found their bags and raced down the hall right past them. After noticing this, they decided to stop their conversation and follow suit.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

7 AM, WRO Headquarters, Labs...

Reeve stood to watch along with Cid, Shelke, and Sith behind a reflective window looking into the laboratory where the doctors and scientists were doing a quick check-up on the girl that was saved from Deepground.

At first, they notice how scared and reluctant she was. Jerking and curled up with every approach they took. But gradually, she must have seen how haven't harmed her, she stopped resisting them. And since none have taken her beat-up choco-doll, she felt safe and relaxed even with all the medical testing.

"So what do you think?"

"She's so small, damn Deepground must have had her for along time. The brats her age back at Rocket Town would Freaking squash her by accident."

Shelke rolled her eyes, 'As colorful as usual.' while jolting down her notes from her observation on the child.

"Noted my friend, by I was hoping you could give me your thoughts on if she reminded you of someone."

"Oh that, yeah the little booger does look like Aerith, not counting the black hair."

"Yet, Her age doesn't match up with their deaths."

"How old is the brat again?"

"Biologically, 4 years."

"The F***. That doesn't add up at all." Cid grumbled, adjusting his toothpick in his mouth since Reeve didn't allow him to smoke in the compound. "Are you sure those two didn't do any roughhousing?"

"Pfft" Cait couldn't hold in his laugh, Cid's choice in words just got to him.

"Can it, you bucket of bolts." Cid hissed at the cat in frustration.

"Sorry about that, my friend. but no, the story they shared corroborated to the fact that they never met at that time." Reeve reminded the older gentlemen, his eyes darting back to the window.

"Yeah, they did say that." the blond got irritated by the toothpick and disposed of it in the trash, he could really use a cigarette by now. "So, What will you do with the little snot?"

"As soon as we see that she's harmless, we'll send her to Aerith and Zack and see what to do next."

"hmm... Either way, it's not my business, I'm going to smoke." He waved off the discussion and headed for the exit. Leaving Reeve, Shelke, and Cait at the observation window.

"Should we call those two then?" Cait asked, looking over the two taller figures.

"I will call Zack right now. Shelke, call Vincent to accompany her."

"Alright, but are you sure we should assign Vincent to this? He's not in an excellent mood after last night." Shelke was asking out of concern for the gloomy man.

Vincent had been out all night, even after the 3-hour limit Reeve had for the airship. And while the ship had returned to base, he stayed behind till 2 in the morning. When Vincent did return to the station around 4 AM, finding no sign of Yuffie other than her damaged cellphone. No one had seen him since he returned to his apartment.

"I understand that he was upset, but a job is a job." With a firm tone, receiving a nod from Shelke before she left to get Vincent. Now with only him and Cait in the room, he gave off a sigh, a bit stressed from all the events so far. He was busy with his own stress that he didn't notice that the medic let the girl walk out to Cait.

She walked up very carefully and stood in front of him, outstretching her arms to present him with her doll. The gesture snapped him back to his senses, and he simply stared at her, and her toy confuse.

"Umm, What are you doing little lady?" He asked, puzzling over what the little girl was trying to do.

"You look dad. Choco can make you feel better." She gave a tiny yet ver sweet smile. Still gesturing for him to take her doll. He reluctantly accepted it, receiving an even bigger smile on her face.

"Thank you, little lady." Reeve smiled, warmly towards her. Reaching out, he patted her head as gently as he could as he didn't want to scare her.

"Now then, go with Cait. He'll take you to a friend of mine."

The little girl nodded and turned on her heel following Cait. Halfway down the hall, Reeve realized he still has her doll, so he called her back. "You forgot your doll, little lady."

She simply smiled again and shook her head. Turning her attention back to the robotic cat and resumed after him. She was soon out of his sight; still, he was left alone in the empty hallway, safe for his new plushie friend.

~.~.~

In the comfort of his pitch-black bedroom, Vincent laid on his bed. His gauntlet messily sprawled on the chair, his crimson cape on the floor. And his gun on the nightstand along with his phone. As for his clothes, they were bloody from the agents he killed at the beginning, so they were thrown in the laundry basket. Now in his all-black long-sleeved shirt and loose sweat pants. He didn't bother covering himself with the blanket while his right arm covered his eyes. He hadn't slept at all since he got back from Midgar. Frustrated beyond belief from his wasted efforts.

He found no sign of Yuffie, alive or dead. Other than her totaled cellphone, nothing else. What irritated him about the whole thing was that he couldn't find any of the Deepground personals on the premise, they much have been actively avoiding him after the confrontation. He should have killed that agent that ran away.

The phone had been ringing for about 20 minutes now. Vincent can easily guess who and what they were calling him for. he just closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing and heartbeat. The steady rhythm calmed him significantly.

Then he heard a knock on his door. He flinched from the new sound source, yet ignored it, turning to his side, back facing the entrance of the room. The knocking continued, he tried to ignore it, but it got louder and louder. Cait's yelling jerked him out of his bed, he was very annoyed at this point. Combing his hair back to uncover his eyes, which had black bags under them from his sleepless night.

Grumpily and reluctantly, he exited his bedroom and made his way to the front door, all while hearing Cait continue to shout for him. With a quick, swift motion, he unlocked and opened the door, the action apparently shocked Cait and the little girl that accompanies him.

Vincent was honestly surprised to see a girl that young around the WRO. Though he dropped that thought and turned his attention back to the robotic cat. "What do you want Cait?"

"Ah lad, the boss wants you to deliver the little lady to 7th Heaven."

"What? Why do I have to do it?" Confused, Vincent stared at both Cait and the girl hiding behind him. Now that he was looking at the girl, he realized who she resembled.

"Well, I'm scheduled for maintenance. And Kunsel is in a meeting. While we know that you just got back from Midgar, your honestly the only one who can." Cait murmured a low 'sorry' afterward finding the hallway more interesting than the conversation. Seeing this, Vincent signed in defeat, shoulder slumped and all.

"Fine, let me just get changed."

"Thanks, Vinny! I gotta go!"

"What?!Wait!" Although he called out to Cait, the small mech was already gone. Now he was left alone with the strange girl at his doorstep. He and the little girl gave each other a staredown before she looked down at her feet, nervous for sure. This was a very awkward situation.

"Alright, I need to get dressed, come inside." He gestured for her to come into the apartment.

She waddled in and stood in the middle of the living room. Awkwardly glancing around the room, the shimmering glasses on the kitchen table, the colorful couch pillows, and brightly lightroom all interested her. Seeing her mouth gapped open, Vincent sat down to her level and, with his index finger, gently pushed her month up to a close.

"Close your mouth, kid, you look like a fish." His gesture caused her to jerk back a bit, in shock obviously. But she snapped back to her sense, and simply nodded with a smile.

"Good girl." as he was getting up, the girl suddenly got wide-eyed and squealed with glee. She bolted from his side and slipped to Yuffie's room.

He went after her immediately, worried she might either hurt herself with all the weapons Yuffie stored in the room or the materia she hid for herself.

Much to his relief, the girl didn't touch anything. Although her eyes were glued to the materia that he brought back from Mideel lake.

The materia was deemed 'empty' somehow and was given back to him, rather than throw it away, he used it to decorate the room.

"Do you want that?" He asked her offhandedly. If it is empty, then it won't be dangerous for her to have.

As if he offered her a priceless treasure. She stared at him with wide sparkling eyes straight at him, a smile growing ever so slightly. When he handed her the violate colored materia, She squealed with delight. Rolling the materia in her hands like a toy ball.

"Alright, kid, out of this room before you hurt yourself." With a gentle push on her back, he leads her out the room, then locking it behind them.