Chapter Five: Only Human

Cloud was worried. He hadn't heard from Cid in a few days. The pilot wasn't answering his calls and he'd talked to Shera, who had told him that neither Cid nor the Highwind had made it back to Rocket Town yet. The last she'd heard from the crew was that they'd had to make an emergency landing because of a storm...that had been two days ago. The swordsman decided to talk to Tifa. They had been living together for almost two years now and even though he knew she wanted more from there relationship he wasn't sure if he had more to give. Their friendship was an easy one. Tifa never hid things from him and she always talked straight. She was one of the only people who would tell him if she thought he was being an idiot so he wanted to see if she thought his worries were unfounded. He found her in the bar cleaning tables.

"Hey Teef, can I talk to you?" He asked uncomfortably. Cloud was still trying to get used to talking about his feelings and things that were bothering him so he was always nervous about it. Tifa had made a promise with him that she would always be willing to sit down and talk with him and would make sure to clarify before jumping to conclusions because she knew that he had trouble expressing himself appropriately.

"Of course!" The brunette smiled warmly at him. "Just let me put this stuff away." He nodded and followed her into the kitchen where she set a few glasses in the sink then tossed her cleaning rag onto the counter. "What's up?" Cloud took a deep breath then told her everything that had happened with Vincent and his worries that Cid might be in danger. After he was finished he bit his lips and stared at the floor. "Well it sounds to me like Cid was upset with you for saying Vincent isn't human-"

"He's not!" Cloud cried then fell silent at the glare Tifa leveled on him.

"Vincent is as human as you and I Cloud." She said sternly. "What happened to him isn't his fault and you know it. Unless you've forgotten what Hojo did to you." Cloud cringed and shook his head. "I thought not." The fighter frowned at him. "I would think that you of all people would have some sympathy for what he's going through."

"But he threatened to-"

"No, one of his demons did." Tifa cut him off. "Vincent would never hurt any of us intentionally. He saved your life for Planet's sake." She sighed. "I understand that you are worried that harm may have come to Cid, but you have to realize that Vincent is also struggling. From what you've told me it sounds as though he stayed away to protect us. If he's lost control over his demons then we need to help him, not shun him." Cloud looked up at her in wonder. He'd always been afraid of Vincent and the man's demons and he'd always thought Tifa was the same, but it seemed as though that wasn't the case. "Let me try calling Cid, he might still be mad at you and ignoring your calls. If he doesn't answer then we will go find them, okay?" She put her hands on his shoulders and gave them a little squeeze before turning to where her PHS sat charging on the counter.

The fighter gave him a small smile as she dialed Cid's number. Wonder of wonders the man actually answered. "Hey Cid, Cloud told me what happened I..." She trailed off with a frown. "No, I just wanted to make sure both of you were okay. It sounds like Vincent is having a hard time right now...I know...I agree with you Cid, he is human, as I've just been explaining to Cloud..." She fell silent again listening with the honed focus she had that Cloud had always loved. "Is there anything we can do to help? I don't like the thought of him out there all alone again. It isn't right...Okay, let me call Barret and Yuffie. They're here in town...no. Cid it will be fine. We will all help you find Vincent...I know you love him Cid that's why I want to help, well that and I have always considered him a friend...okay, see you in a few hours." With a heavy sigh she hung up then turned to Cloud, who had frozen on the word love. Cid loved Vincent? He shook himself, no use wondering what that meant right now.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly.

"Vincent is missing. During the storm one of his demons started to take over so he ran off into the forest, but he hasn't come back yet and Cid can't find him on his own. We need to go get Barret and Yuffie then charter a flight to the Highwind. Cid will send us the coordinates." Tifa ran a hand through her hair then began calling their friends. Cloud ran upstairs to get their things together.

He was glad he'd talked to Tifa. She put things in a whole new perspective for him and he realized that he owed Vincent an apology. The swordsman hated that he hadn't seen or understood what the stoic gunman was going through. He had been blinded by his fear and anger...and immaturity. It was hard to accept being in the wrong, or the fact that he'd been childish. Life with Tifa had humbled him. She was teaching him that feelings were okay, even if they were hard to accept, and that it was how he acted on those feelings that really mattered. The brunette woman wasn't like Aerith, who'd had only kind words for everyone, she was more real. Tifa was very open and loving, but wouldn't hesitate to slap someone upside the head if she thought they were being stupid and he cared for her a lot. He wasn't sure if it was love, but he knew that he would have a hard time living without her.

A small smile found its way to his lips as he packed some clothes for her. It was strange, but made him feel good that he knew what she'd want. They'd gotten closer after she'd finally convinced him to be more open and honest about what he was thinking or feeling and in return she had told him of her love. She loved him as more than a friend and told him that she was content with their platonic relationship despite the pain he knew she felt. A one sided love was hard and he wanted desperately to be able to return her feelings, but he didn't know if he could. He had strong feelings for her and until he knew if it was love or not he wouldn't say anything. Couldn't. The last thing he wanted to do was give her false hope.

Tifa stretched as she climbed off the charter plane. It had landed a short ways from the Highwind and she could see Cid's blonde head near the landing struts of his beloved airship. She returned his wave as she grabbed the pack Cloud was handing to her then the four of them jogged over to their friend. "How are you?" She asked worriedly, giving the pilot a warm hug.

"Fuckin' out a my mind worryin' about Vince." He replied gruffly.

"Cid...I owe you an apology." Cloud said quietly from behind her. Tifa held back a smile as she stepped out of the way. She was happy that she had been able to get through to him. "I didn't really understand what he was going through...and I admit I was scared and angry. I said a lot of hurtful things and because of that and I'm sorry." She watched Cid relax. He'd tensed up when he'd heard Cloud's voice and had been glaring at him.

"Apology accepted, now how 'bout ya help me find 'im."

"That's why we're here!" Yuffie exclaimed. "We gotta find Vinnie!"

"Not sure if we should." Barret grumbled. "Fuckin' vamp's-"

"Don' ya fuckin' call 'im that." Cid snarled angrily. Tifa turned to glare at Barret.

"Go get back on the plane if you don't want to help. Vincent needs us right now, but if you're too pig-headed to understand that then just leave." She snapped angrily. "I am so sick of the attitude both you and Cloud have had towards Vincent. I already had a talk with Cloud so he knows this, but you..." She jabbed Barret in the chest with her index finger. "You have a lot to learn mister. Have you any idea what Vincent is going through right now? He's lost in those woods alone and probably terrified. He may even be injured and here you are being an asshole about it." She glared up into the huge man's startled eyes. "How would you feel if you were in his place? How would you feel if being near Marlene put her in danger because of some experiment a madman performed on you?" Barret paled. "Barret, he's human just like us. He feels the same things we do...he just doesn't know how to express it. No one has taught him, or given him a chance. I know that I'm not perfect and I was scared of him for a while, but after hearing about his past I realized that he doesn't need to be feared...he needs our help." She huffed slightly and turned back to Cid. "So how should we do this?" The older man blinked at her then burst out laughing.

"Yer an amazin' woman Tif." He sighed once he'd calmed down. "I 'preciate yer concern for Vince and yer right. He does need our help." She smiled warmly at him. She'd known for a while about his feelings for Vincent, though she'd never said anything. It had been so obvious to her in the weeks after the gunman's disappearance. Every time she had seen Cid since then he had seemed to be slipping further and further into a dark depression. It was good to hear him laughing again and see the light in his eyes.

Vincent came to himself surrounded by mutilated, half-eaten corpses. The sun was bright overhead making him cringe and cover his sensitive eyes. A sudden wave of nausea crashed through him, bringing him to his hands and knees in a pool of blood. He tried to hold it back, but then the scent of raw meat that had been baking in the sun filled his nostrils and he lost the battle. Chunks of flesh and bits of bone poured onto the ground in front of him as vomited violently. He could feel the jagged edges of the bones ripping through his esophagus and closed his eyes against the pain. The taste of his own blood on his tongue told him that his throat was being damaged, but he couldn't stop vomiting. Everything Gigas had eaten was being emptied from his stomach and that demon ate a lot.

When he finally finished Vincent dragged himself to his feet and stumbled away from the slaughter. He had no idea how long he had been out of it, but he knew it had been at least a day since the forest around him was dry. The storm that had been raging when he'd left the Highwind had been a huge one and he knew from experience that it had probably lasted throughout the night. Storms like that usually did and it was the storm that had given Death Gigas the strength to break free from both his and Galian's control. The giant demon loved hunting during storms since it strengthened and renewed him...Vincent wasn't so lucky.

He followed his nose to a small stream and began cleaning the blood from his skin. Somehow he'd lost the oversized shirt Cid had loaned him, but luckily he still had the pants and glove...Planet he was happy that glove was still there. He couldn't stand to look at his hand without it. Every time he did; memories of losing the limb would resurface, resulting in him being ill. He would remember the pain of the saw as Hojo cut the arm from him and the demented scientist's laughter as he held the limb above his head as he danced about the lab. Vincent closed his eyes with a shudder and forced his mind back to the task at hand.

He needed to get clean then he needed to find his way back to the airship. Cid would never forgive him if he didn't return...nor would Galian. He was beginning to understand why the great wolf wanted him to stay with the pilot. He felt much stronger with Cid around. When he'd left the room to go land the airship Vincent had almost panicked and he'd lost what little control he'd regained over the Gigas. It was an embarrassing realization, but the truth. He needed Cid in a way he'd never thought he'd need anyone. The blonde pilot made him feel as though life were worth living and Vincent now desperately wanted to live. He wanted to be happy even though he didn't really remember what it was like.

The closest he'd ever been to it was when he'd been living with Cid before the second coming of Sephiroth and Deepground. He'd had to leave though. Chaos had begun to try to take control of him so Vincent had run rather than hurt his only friend. Chaos had always been the hardest of his demons to control and Vincent's alliance with Galian had been shaky at best in the beginning. During their quest to defeat Sephiroth and destroy Meteor his trust in Galian grew. He was actually the gunman's first friend since waking and the only one of his demons that actually liked being trapped within him. The great wolf was tired of the constant warring in the demon world and was happy to lend Vincent his strength. The other three...not so much. They wanted out and Vincent would happily send the other two to Hell if he could...unfortunately they were a weird mix of multiple demons and Mako. Experiments that Hojo had created inside of a lab. A fact that they resented, but had no control over. Vincent could relate.

With a sigh the gunman stripped the glove and pants from his body and waded into the stream. It was damn cold but he soon warmed and as he washed the rest of the blood from his body and hair he began to feel better...more human. Once finished he got out of the water and back into the only clothing he had. The glove was still in perfect condition, but the pants were torn and bloody. Vincent grimaced as he slid them over his legs. They felt disgusting and smelled horrible, but beggars couldn't be choosers as well. He tied the string that went through the waistband as tight as he could then began walking.

He really didn't know which way to go so he decided to follow his nose. Towards the south he caught the faint scent of fuel and metal so he decided to go that way. He walked for an hour following the familiar smell. It was getting closer. A few minutes later he began to hear voices and froze. They were too far away to understand, but Vincent thought they sounded familiar. He frowned in indecision. Should he head towards them and put them in danger or should he skirt around and go back to the Highwind? If it was who he thought it was they might be looking for him, which made him think that maybe he had been out here much longer than one day so he decided to take a chance. He carefully slipped from tree to tree until he found the people to whom the voices he'd heard belonged. His eyes widened in surprise. Barret stood with Cloud, Yuffie and Tifa in small circle. Unsurprisingly enough they were arguing.

"You saw that mess just like I did Tifa!" Barret yelled. "A human couldn't a done that!"

"We've been over this before Barret. Vincent is human." The brunette woman replied angrily stressing each word to get her point across. "He didn't kill those creatures, Death Gigas did and you know that demon is a separate entity entirely." Vincent blinked in shock at her words while Galian rumbled appreciatively in his mind.

'We like this one as well Host.'

'I never knew Tifa felt that way.' The gunman responded mentally since he didn't want to alert the others of his presence.

"You said you wanted to help us find him. If you've changed your mind then go back to the Highwind." Tifa snapped.

"Yeah, ya big meanie!" Yuffie cried.

"Shut up brat." The big man growled.

"This is getting us nowhere." Cloud finally exploded. Vincent was surprised that the man was even there, the last time they had spoken he'd...well Hellmasker had threatened his life. "We have to find Vincent, like Tifa said he could be hurt and-"

"Get off yer high horse Strife." Barret snapped. "You think he's a monster just like I do."

'Can we kill the fat one?' Galian asked almost pleasantly.

'No.'

'Shame.' Vincent ignored him and focused his attention on Cloud.

"I..." The swordsman kicked at the ground looking ashamed. "I used to, but Tifa reminded me of something. Hojo experimented on him just like he did on me so what's happening to him isn't his fault."

"Yeah, but you weren't brought back from the dead." Barret retorted. "Ya don't have a head full a demons either."

"He's not a monster Barret." Cloud growled.

"He shares head space with Chaos!" The gun-armed man shouted. "A demon who is bent on destroying the world!" Vincent had had enough.

"Chaos has been returned to the Planet." He said quietly as he stepped out into the open. If he still found humor in anything he would have laughed at their expressions, but after a while their stares began to make him feel decidedly uncomfortable. He knew they were staring at the scars covering his body. They were seeing them for the first time and no matter how much he would prefer them seeing his armor instead; it couldn't be helped. "Could one of you point me in the direction of the Highwind?" He asked politely. His voice was rough and his throat felt as though it were on fire. He just wanted to get back so that he could shower and get some sleep "I expect that Cid is-" He was cut off by arms wrapping around him from behind and almost smiled as Cid's familiar scent washed over him.

"I'm right here." The pilot mumbled into his back. He could hear the relief in Cid's voice and tried to smile as the younger man let go and walked around to face him. His lips twitched but refused to cooperate. "Let's get ya home." Vincent nodded and silently followed after his friend, refusing to meet the eyes of the other AVALANCHE members. He didn't want to see the pity or fear he knew was in them.