Hi there! Hope you all enjoy this chapter, as it is the last one I'll be posting for the next week and a half. I'm off to Switzerland, as mentioned previously, and I most likely won't have Internet access the whole time.

Thanks for the reviews, and I do encourage you all to continue occasionally dropping a not when you read something you like, or see something that needs working on. It helps build me up.

Well, adios and I hope you all enjoy your vacations if you happen to be going somewhere!

Cheers!

Kyyrin

Chapter Eleven

Vincent walked briskly down the destroyed halls of the Headquarters, in the direction of the room where he had left, among others, Yuffie, Shelke, and now, Shalua. As he avoided large flaming pieces of rubble, his thoughts returned to the conversation he'd had with Sam after Reeve had fallen asleep. The kind doctor had grown on Vincent, and he could safely say that it might possibly be the only doctor he would ever like.

Damn Hojo to hell.

"May I……speak with you, Vincent?", Sam had gently placed a hand on Vincent's shoulder once more. The doctor had just finished consoling and releasing the nurse on duty, who had broken down sobbing after the exchange Vincent had had with Reeve. Now he intended to speak with Vincent about the situation. It couldn't wait.

Vincent's head had lifted only slightly from it's position leaned against the his and Reeve's entwined hands. The WRO Commissioner had long since gone to sleep, but Vincent had stubbornly held onto his hand as if the man's life depended on it. It was high time for him to be elsewhere, helping the rest of the WRO, but he just couldn't bring himself to move.

"Please, Vincent. He'll be fine now. We can speak, and then you can go do what you have to do. He'll still be here when you come back. I assure you".

At this, Vincent gave a small nod, and gently laid Reeve's hand down on the bed, and taking one last glance at his friend, followed Sam out from behind the curtains that hid the small room from view. The walked halfway down the long corridor in silence, before Sam began to speak.

"There is……nothing more we can do for her Vincent. Even with the proper machinery and care, it would take a miracle for her to pull through. She's in a coma. The only thing that's keeping her artificial organs going now is the life support system in that healing tube. If we shut it off………Vincent, she's so far gone that--------"

"-------You cannot save her. I know. I was there when she………I couldn't……save her. I should have……I should have done so much more……than I did. It wasn't enough, Sam. And now he's paying for it------"

Vincent swallowed, only partially aware that in his grief, he was pouring out his feelings to another person, something he couldn't recall doing before.

"-----Vincent!"

He snapped to attention when the doctor placed both hands on his shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes. Vincent immediately felt completely ashamed of his outburst. He had no right to burden the medic with his feelings of guilt.

"This is not your fault, and I'm sure Shalua told you that herself before she……before Azul got to her. She doesn't blame you, Reeve doesn't blame you, I don't blame you, no one does, Vincent. You need to let it go".

Vincent nodded slowly, but out of curiosity, asked a simple question that had been in his mind since he had brought Reeve here.

"Sam. How did you know that is was Azul who………?"

The doctor smiled sadly, and continued to stroll towards the exit of the medical facilities. He twirled a pen between his practiced fingers, and answered.

"I knew. He thought just seemed to……come to me. The minute Reeve and Shalua began telling me about the Tsviets, especially Azul. I knew that during the entire time Reeve built and organized the Headquarters, that……creature……was gathering enough information about the WRO to know how to destroy it when the time came. I could have told them then, almost two weeks ago……I should have……but what use would that information have been? Reeve could not help the fact that Deepground knew everything there was to know about his organization. He had been investigating rumors of them, sure, but nothing concrete enough to know what they were planning. So……all I told them was……to stay strong. Not to let anyone penetrate their defenses. Professional, and personal. And above all……to stay together, no matter what happened. I know they tried, but it seemed……well, it seemed that working did get the better of them in the end, and that they ended up barely seeing each other at all in those two weeks. Sure, there was plenty of work to be done, but if they had tried, they would most certainly have been able to spare more time for each other than the odd two or three times they were together. Don't you think?"

Sam looked at Vincent curiously, patiently waiting for an answer.

"I'll kill him".

Sam gaped, and Vincent started, surprised that those words had so harshly and vehemently come out of his own mouth. He had only ever thought that when thinking of Hojo and Jenova. But he had never expressed his murderous desires to anyone else, though he was quite sure that everyone had known about his lust for revenge.

"I-I'm sorry……I don't know what came over me, I……"

Vincent was sure Sam thought of him as some kind of murderer now, even though they had been speaking of Azul.

"I know you'll kill him, Vincent. I know you will……"

He looked at the medic in surprise. That was not the answer he'd expected. He saw, when looking at the older man, that his face was set in grim determination. It looked as though he wanted the Tsviets death as much as Vincent did. And because Sam couldn't kill Azul himself, he would give Vincent his blessing to seek revenge for him as well.

"Now go. They need you. Reeve will still be here later. Go on. You have work to do. And take these."

Vincent looked down at the bottle of pills that were being pushed into his hand. He looked at Sam quizzically, waiting for an explanation of what they were for.

"They're to be taken three times daily with food. Your chest, Vincent. You've been injured, and it's healed over but not yet fully healed inside. I know of your unique healing abilities, but it is causing you immense pain. Pain that you cannot afford to have while fighting Azul, for example. The pills will help some, trust me".

Vincent gave a wry smile behind his cloak, but took the bottle pills all the same, stowing it away where he usually kept his potions. It was kind of Sam to want to help, but frankly, the doctor had absolutely no idea. Chaos could not simply be controlled by a dosage of medication. The pain was the least of it. That, he could bear.

"Thank you……Sam. I know you will……take good care of Reeve. I suppose I will see you when this is over then. Hm."

And with that, Vincent left the medic standing in the doorway then had reached, and cape flying, made his way towards his next goal.

By this time, Vincent had reached the door to the room to which he had been heading. Pausing briefly, he punched in the entrance code, which resulted in a hissing sound as the large metal door opened to let him in. He glanced around the room and the first thing he saw was Shalua, suspended in a healing tube just as Sam had said. And then…….

…….Yuffie.

Yuffie crying.

In fact, she was sobbing. She sat on a metal crate not far from Shalua's motionless form, elbows on her knees, head in her hands, weeping. It was strange. He had never seen her cry. She had always been…..happy. The most cheerful person in their group, more so than Tifa and other than…..Aeris, before she had passed on. He didn't quite know how to act, so he moved towards her, aiming for a silent entrance. But the clink of his metal boots gave him away, and her head shot up.

"V-Vincent! Gawd, I didn't see you there. Sorry!", she hastily wiped away her tears, and seemed to try and act as though they had never been there. When she realized it wasn't working, she stopped, accepting the fact that she had been caught letting her emotions go. She didn't seem to mind. But then again, this was Yuffie, not himself.

Silence followed, and after a few minutes, Vincent looked from Yuffie to Shalua and back again. It was then that Yuffie spoke. There was a slight tremor in her voice, almost as if she were on the verge of tears again.

"They say she won't wake up……"

Vincent inclined his head to listen, not fearing what he knew she was going to say next. He already knew the details. He supposed Yuffie just needed someone to talk to.

"She…..she suffered too much trauma to her head. Unless there's some kind of a miracle, she's not.……"

Her voice cracked, and a choked sob made it's way to the surface. And then, she said it. It wasn't as if he hadn't been expecting that as well, it was just……well he hadn't expected anyone other than Reeve to be so straight forward about it……

"Vincent! You were there! Why couldn't you save her!?"

Her voice had risen, but she didn't sound angry, only frustrated and sad. Almost…..let down. Vincent stared at the floor, shame flowing over him in waves. It was one thing to feel guilt when one thought people blamed them for something. It was a whole different story when someone expressed the fact that one was indeed at fault and that he should be feeling guilt

"I…..I'm sorry……."

The murmured response came out of his mouth automatically, but sincerely. He was sorry. Very sorry.

"No".

He didn't look up, but prepared to listen to her next rant, steeling himself for an onslaught of mistakes he had made and faults he had.

"I didn't mean to.…..I really didn't mean to, Vincent, I'm sorry".

He lifted his head a little, sad red eyes studying her to make sure that what he was hearing was real. She was apologizing for blaming him?

Yuffie stood, and nearly ran over to him. She took one look at the sorrow on his features, and pulled him into a tight, warm hug. He didn't stiffen this time, but he didn't wrap his arms around her either. He just let his tired, aching body lean into her embrace.

"It's not your fault, it's really not your fault, Vincent. I….I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have said that. Shelke just told me that…..that you two were there and Shalua was trapped and I just thought…..I didn't know……Oh Planet, Vincent I miss her….."

Yuffie began to sob again, and this time, Vincent gingerly wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back gently as he had done for Reeve. To ease her pain. Her grief. He was exhausted. He actually felt as if he could fall asleep standing right there……

"Vincent? Vince? Hey, d-don't fall asleep? Geez, you look really beat! Why don't you sit down somewhere and…..and take a nap or something? You look like you could really use it……"

Vincent didn't dispute that fact, and let Yuffie lead him sit down and lean against one of the metal crates. But…..no. He couldn't sleep now. The WRO needed him…..

"Yuffie, I can't……the WRO requires my assitance……."

"Don't worry, Vince. I was talking to some of them earlier and they said they had everything under control. Besides, Vincent. You're exhausted. What help are you gonna be to them when you're falling asleep standing? Huh?"

Right. Of course. Why hadn't he thought of that? And before he knew it, sleep took him. The last thing he felt was Yuffie gently tucking a blanket behind his head, and draping another one over him.

"Sweet dreams, Vince".

Hm. That would be the day……..

"She was a fool".

"WHAT?!?"

The loud cry startled Vincent out of his relatively peaceful sleep. He blinked wearily, eyes adusting to the bright light. The sight that met his eyes was not at all what he had expected. It was actually, the last thing he had expected.

Shelke Rui and Yuffie Kisaragi at each others throats?

It was a strange picture, to be sure. Yuffie was standing there, fuming and glaring daggers in Shelke's directions, while the latter merely stood, calmly, with a blank expression on her face as if she was without a care in the world.

"How dare you???"

Vincent blinked again, and decided it was time to get up, and perhaps to break up this fight. He had no idea how long he had been sleeping, and frankly, he thought it had probably been too long. He began to stand slowly, and looked up again only long enough to witness Yuffie's next action.

She stalked over to Shelke and slapped her none to gently across the face. Shelke's head spun to the right, but she seemed otherwise unfazed by Yuffie's unleashed fury. Yuffie, however, stood in front of her, hands balled up into fists of rage. By this time, Vincent had reached the two girls, and decided to wait and see how this would proceed. He had heard what Shelke had said, and she had no doubt been referring to Shalua. But Vincent would have preferred other ways of teaching the girl respect than what Yuffie had just done. Although he did agree that Shelke had deserved it…..

"You have no right to call her that!", Yuffie choked out, on the verge of tears once more.

"You don't know……you don't know what.…."

At this point, Vincent reached out and placed a hand on Yuffie's shoulder, restraining her from any further injuries she wished to inflict on Shelke. She was, after all, Shalua's younger sister. And Shalua had begged Vincent to take care of her, so that's what he would do. He understood Yuffie's anger. Shalua had sacrificed her life for Shelke, and she still seemed ungrateful. But it would take time for Shelke to be able to show emotions again. Deepground ha inflicted more damage on her than Yuffie could ever comprehend.

"Why would she do something so...?"

This time, it was Shelke that spoke. As she asked the question, more to herself than to anyone else, her gaze moved to the tube in which Shalua lay.

Vincent heard Yuffie give a strangled sob, and she wrenched her shoulder out of Vincent's grip. He looked after her as she ran from the room. He sighed softly. He'd go after her later. She needed some time to calm down. But as for Shelke…….

"Before, when I asked Shalua what she was searching for, she answered 'her reason to live.'"

Vincent chose his words carefully, determined to at least assist Shelke in partially understanding the sacrifice Shalua had made for her.

"It was you, Shelke. You were her reason to live."

"So? I don't understand how someone could give her own life for that of another."

He'd been expecting that. Of course Shelke wouldn't know. How could she? Her training with Deepground had involved killing people, not saving them.

"Do you understand, Vincent Valentine?"

He gave a soft sigh. That was another question he'd been expecting. And for that, he had already formulated an answer.

"I can't answer for your sister. But.….."

"But?"

Vincent noted that Shelke seemed eager to hear his answer. Well, that was a start.

"When a person has someone they care about that much, giving their life is sometimes the least they can do……and maybe…..that's what makes us human."

Humanity. A strange thing. But one he had come to begin to understand during his travels with AVALANCE. During the outbreak of Geostigma. During his interactions with Reeve and Shalua.

"Someone they care about.….."

Shelke repeated the phrase thoughtfully, as if considering the information he had given her to be useful or not. So he continued.

"Although.…..it seems like there are a lot of people around me who don't need a reason to risk their lives for that of another….."

Yes. That much was true. Shalua risked her life for Shelke. Reeve would risk his life for the WRO. The WRO would risk it's life for well being of the Planet and it's inhabitants. And he…..he would….

"And are you.…..?"

Shelke walked towards him, but stumbled abruptly. He instinctively stretched out his arms to catch her, and he did. She looked up into his eyes, and he into hers. And suddenly…..

"...ent..."

"Vincent…"

A melodious female voice was calling his name. But he was so tired.

"Vincent.."

He forced his eyes open, blinking as the bright sunlight hit his face. Yes. He had wanted a break. He'd come up to a beautiful spot underneath an ancient tree. It was so warm and relaxing that he had dozed off……

"Fall asleep here, and you might catch a cold".

He started, and sat bolt upright, completely forgetting the reason he had awoken in the first place. That voice…….He looked up to see the smiling face of Lucrecia peering down at him.

"Why are you so surprised? Is my face that hideous?"

He gulped. His first thought was to say of course not. That her face was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his entire life, but the words didn't come out as planned.

No. I didn't.…..I'm sorry", he stuttered, completely ashamed of himself.

"And how are you supposed to be my bodyguard if you're up here sleeping?"

Her voice was playful and cheery, and he suddenly realized she was teasing him. He relaxed, and let a soft smile spread across his face.

"The warm breeze.….I was only going to rest my eyes for a minute".

It was the truth. He had been sleeping poorly of late, and had wanted to catch up on some sleep. He had figured this was as good a place as any.

"Well, I have to admit, the breeze is quite comfortable…..however, I think you're in my seat!"

He blinked, surprised.

"Huh?"

Lucrecia smiled wider and pulled out a large picnic basket filled to the brim with food and drink from behind her back.

"Care to join me?"

It was over as quickly as it had begun. Vincent's eyes snapped open, and he stared down at Shelke on whose shoulders he still had his hands. He was still looking at him oddly. A few silent seconds passed, and Shelke suddenly moved away, turning her back to him. Vincent, still completely shocked by what he had just experienced, remained standing where he was, stunned.

"I'm sorry…..", her voice broke his thoughts, and he followed her movements as she walked further away, murmuring to herself.

She didn't know why it had happened. Perhaps it had something to do with…….

"Why are her data fragments responding?", wishing she knew the answer. This was…..strange.

Vincent finally managed to pull himself together and stand straight once more, when he was once again floored with another event.

The door began to open, and he looked up, expecting Yuffie to be coming back, or a WRO commander with some news of their progress. But nothing prepared him for who came in then.

Standing in the doorway was a battered, bandaged, limping, but very much alive, Reeve.

I'm starting to think that Reeve's getting as bad as Vincent. He just can't stay lying down when he's injured. Cheers!