Hi guys! Another chapter up, and way more than a few more to go. I'm working on the next one's so stay tuned and tell me how you're liking the story so far...anything I need to improve on?

Thank you for the reviews, enjoy, and Cheers!

Kyyrin

Chapter Fifteen

Vincent wasted no time in resuming his search for Reeve. He had decided that he would offer…..no, force Reeve to sleep in his quarters, even if it meant that he himself had no place to rest. It was the very least he could do for the man after all. His feelings of guilt had escalated after being made fully aware that he hadn't tried his hardest to prevent Shalua from dying. He felt as though he had robbed his best friend of the one thing that had been and still was most precious to him on the entire Planet.

Running through a random corridor, he slowed down and decided that he was completely, utterly lost. Cursing silently, he wondered vaguely why he hadn't asked Cid for the directions to the damn room. This hadn't been one of his brighter ideas.

Spying a WRO member up ahead, he walked over and politely asked the man for directions to the "erhm, room with the ceiling that changes color". The member had looked at him oddly for a second before it dawned on him what Vincent meant. After receiving the well-explained route, Vincent headed off again, this time doubling the speed.

In record time, he reached the door that supposedly led to said room, and opened it quickly. No one was in the room save…….Vincent let out a large sigh of relief when he spotted Reeve sitting at the far end of it. At least he was sitting.

He strolled over to his friend, taking in the man's features. He looked……..well, sick, almost. And seemed to be hurting. There was pain written all over his face. Vincent looked to Reeve's bandaged upper body and then to his knee. Oh Planet. The man had to be in an extreme amount of pain. And the worst part of it was that no one had adequate enough materia to heal him.

"Reeve. How are you feeling?"

His friend's head snapped up, as if he had just noticed that Vincent was standing in front of him. Vincent felt frustration build as the look in Reeve's eyes was revealed to be the same one as before. Dull and distant. The usual cheery brightness had disappeared from them completely; as had the confident drive to move mountains. Vincent felt his friend's pain. Reeve wasn't the only one who had lost someone dear to him.

Reeve began to speak, but he didn't answer Vincent's question. Instead, he began rattling off his recent data discoveries, as if totally oblivious to anything else around him.

"Vincent. T-Thanks to Shelke's half of the data, I have been able to make more sense of the report…… But I still require more time to piece together the fragments. I will give you all a detailed briefing at the meeting------"

"Reeve…."

"------and then we can further discuss how we will proceed with------"

"---Reeve!"

Vincent raised his voice just enough for Reeve to stop his rambling and glance over at him. He was beginning to realize that Reeve was purposely avoiding everything else that might cause him to think of the tragedy that had just occurred. It was completely heart wrenching to watch. Reeve was trying his best to consume his thoughts with other things, but nothing seemed to be filling the void that had belonged to Shalua.

"……What?"

The question came out harsh and monotonous, almost venomous. Vincent raised an eyebrow. Reeve evidently really did want to leave the subject be. But that was no way to go about it. He would not stand there and watch his friend sink into a pit of misery. In fact, Vincent wished to haul Reeve out of it. As fast as possible.

"Reeve. Why are you avoiding the other important subjects at hand?"

The question was clear and brisk. Vincent fumed inwardly. Typical him. Why could he not bring himself speak in a caring, comforting tone? He had a significant amount of training to do after all this was over.

At this, Reeve straightened up as best he could, a glare crossing his features. Vincent noticed the pain the movements had caused his friend. The airship had now taken flight, and Reeve winched visibly whenever he so much as shifted in his seat. The first thing Vincent would do after this conversation was finished, he decided, would be to bring Reeve to his room. Vincent needed little sleep, though lately he required more than usual, but he would accommodate Reeve in his quarters on the Highwind. For all he cared, he'd sleep on the couch. It would change some of his labels to be nice for once.

"Of course you would know about that".

Vincent stiffened at the cruel remark. That was something he hadn't been expecting. But he decided not to hold it against Reeve. With all the physical and mental pain and suffering the man was going through right now, it was understandable that he would react impulsively.

But Reeve didn't stop there.

"You. The great Vincent Valentine, ever silent and secretive, telling me to stop avoiding important subjects? I mean, do I have to remind you that every time anyone even tries to bring up the subject of your past, you brush it off and hightail it as far away as possible like some racing chocobo? And then, you hide out for years, without keeping in touch with anyone, and all off a sudden pop back up out of the blue and expect that everyone will just stop asking you questions and leave you alone? Not to mention that everyone worries the hell out of themselves first, wondering where you are……if you're ok……hoping that nothing's happened to you…….Planet, how dare you. How dare you even mention that I'm avoiding important subjects? I have the right to keep silent just as much as you do. And you're always silent!"

Reeve ended his rant, panting heavily. It had taken a lot out of him to say that to Vincent. Wait…….Dear Shiva, he hadn't actually just said that to Vincent. Had he? I turned out he had. He hadn't meant to, of course. The thoughts had just been milling around in his head, and he had attempted to keep them bottled up. But unluckily for him, Vincent's question had pushed him across that certain point of tolerance, and he had blown up. At Vincent. Over Vincent.

Shit.

He was disgusted with himself. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut just this once?

He had to leave. He had to get away.

Reeve didn't think he could handle the pain of losing another loved one.

Vincent blinked, dazed by what he had just been accused of.

Reeve had just shoved the past three years of his life in his face.

And as much as Vincent didn't want to believe it, it was the hard truth. He hadn't realized it until Reeve had made him aware of it. Was that……really what he had done? Had everyone really been that worried? He had never made an effort to stay in touch with anything after they had saved the world. He had only acquired a phone after they had gotten rid of Sephiroth and Kadaj a year ago. And even then……he had had it off most of the time. Or he just…..hadn't answered. But the others…..they hadn't made an effort either.

Or had they?

Vincent cursed softly. Of course they had. He had had dozens of messages and missed calls on his PHS that he hadn't given thought to.

Yes. Perhaps he had neglected his friends. He'd admit that. But as for the other accusation.

Vincent had never given his silent, secretive nature any thought. He had surmised that if he kept everything to himself, if he trusted no one, then he wouldn't be hurt again as he had been so often in the past. His past. He wasn't obliged to reveal anything about it to anyone, but he supposed that it had become such a large part of his personality and character that people were beginning to become concerned for his mental well being. Maybe he should have opened up more.

Vincent found then, to his surprise, that he harbored to anger towards Reeve for the man's outburst. Normally, he would have flown into some sort of silent rage and stalked out of the room. Running away.

That's what it was.

He ran.

From speaking about anything that had to do with his emotional and mental state.

With his past.

He was…….a coward.

So deep in thought was Vincent, that he only noticed that his friend had stood when it was too late.

Reeve pushed himself into a standing position, horrified at what he had just said to his friend. Looking down fleetingly, he saw Vincent staring into space, a look of disbelief and pain in his eyes.

He had cut his friend. Deep. He had to leave. Vincent wouldn't be wanting him around after this. Now his 'former' friend would completely push him away. Not like he hadn't asked for it by ranting at Vincent like that.

Despite the near to unbearable pain in his chest and leg, he managed to hobble three quarters of the way to the door. Suddenly, the airship gave a sharp swerve. This was all Reeves' precarious balance needed to throw him to floor.

And he hit the floor.

Hard.

Vincent was forced from his thoughts when the airship lurched in an unexpectedly sharp swerve. He heard a thump from somewhere behind him, and blinked, realizing for the first time that Reeve was no longer sitting in front of him.

Suddenly, all of the past conversation was forgotten as Vincent leapt to his feet and spun around, eyes widening as he spotted Reeve lying on his back, and clutching his chest in agony.

Rushing over, Vincent crouched next to his friend, gently placing his hands on Reeve's shoulders. Reeve's eyes were shut tight, and he was moaning in obvious pain. At Vincent's touch, he opened his eyes marginally, to look first at the ceiling, and then at the man leaning over him.

"Sweet Planet, Reeve. What the hell are you doing?", Vincent hissed in concern, for lack of better words. What had Reeve been thinking? The man could barely sit upright on his own as it was.

Reeve blinked slowly, and gave Vincent a pained half smile. Perhaps Vincent wasn't as angry as he'd thought. Maybe they was still a chance they could be friends……

"I'm…..I'm counting the tiles on the ceiling, Vince", came the weak, whispered reply.

Vincent stared at Reeve blankly for a moment, and then moved his gaze to the ceiling. All he saw were different shapes and colors. No tiles. Reeve had officially gone insane.

Wait……..

"So……Vincent. What are you……doing?", Reeve asked. Vincent couldn't help but notice the fleeting emotion that crossed his comrade's face. He sighed. Reeve evidently thought he was going insane. So he decided to play along.

"I'm counting the tiles on your ceiling, Reeve", the dead serious tone he had taken on flawed by a hint of sarcasm. Vincent didn't need to look at Reeve to know what his reaction would be.

Reeve gaped, mouth hanging wide open. Vincent was counting the………had he just cracked a joke? Surprise vanished, and Reeve burst out laughing before he could stop himself………

Vincent let out a soft chuckle before meeting Reeve's gaze again.

"Reeve, I'm afraid…..there are no tiles on this ceiling. You'll have to build a new room for that. And even then, this room's ceiling is much……nicer than yours was".

Reeve managed a half-hearted grin, one of which quickly led to averted eyes and an almost embarrassed demeanor. It didn't take long for Vincent to figure out that the man was positively ashamed of what he had said earlier. He probably thought Vincent was furious with him. Well, he'd change that.

"Reeve. I am not angry with you. In fact, it is quite the opposite…..I…...Thank you."

Reeve blinked and stared back up at him gaping.

"Excuse me?", he whispered not quite believing what he was hearing.

"I meant that. Thank you. For showing me how I've been acting all these years. I…….I would have never noticed it had you no brought it to my attention. And for that…..I am grateful".

Reeve merely continued staring at him as if Vincent had just slipped on a mog outfit and was prancing around Gold Saucer. Vincent expertly ignored that look.

"And I will……I will attempt to change. It will be difficult, I suppose, but it seems to be the least I can do after having worried you all……for so long….."

"That's…..a great start, Vincent….though I'm still sorry that I lashed out at you like I did. I shouldn't have……", Reeve muttered painfully, attempting to push himself up off the ground. Vincent gently supported his friend's back as Reeve struggled into an uncomfortable looking sitting position. He looked positively worn out.

"Reeve….I….forgive you. Now. This is no place for you to be in this condition. Cid explained the 'space' issues to me, and I will escort you to my room. You can rest there".

"N-No, Vincent. That's fine. I have to be up for the meeting in a half hour anyways, so there's no point in me…….."

Reeve trailed off suddenly, a hand moving to his head. Concern built on Vincent's features as his friend blinked erratically, obviously trying to clear his vision.

"Reeve? Are you alright?"

"Dizzy……", Reeve muttered faintly, beginning to sway slightly. Vincent began to wonder when his friend had had something decent to eat and drink last. And when he had last gotten a decent amount of sleep. Reeve couldn't go on like this.

"Can you stand, Reeve? And I would…..appreciate an honest answer".

"No. D-Don't think so……", came Reeve's shaky reply, and Vincent believed him. With Reeve's feeble attempts to help, Vincent hoisted his friend off the floor, and back onto one of the seats on the side of the room.

"Reeve. If you will not go to sleep, then at least allow yourself some medical care. I believe……your bandages need to be changed", Vincent murmured, eyeing his friends upper body and leg. Blood had already begun to soak through the bandages on his chest, and it looked as if his knee had started to swell again. Vincent grimaced.

"I…..I don't know….where the med ward is……here……", came Reeve's airy reply as he leaned back into the wall of the ship breathing heavily. Vincent then decided, that if Reeve couldn't get to the med ward, then he'd bring the med ward to Reeve. Standing, he looked down and voiced his idea to his friend.

"I will find the medical facilities, Reeve. Stay here. I will come back with some things that will assist your healing process. And…..when I say stay here, I mean stay here. Understand?"

Reeve looked up at him, and nodded weakly. Shivers had begun to course through his weakened body once more, and Vincent could see him trembling with chills. Before leaving, Vincent briefly removed the glove on his human hand and touched Reeve's forehead momentarily. He pulled away just as quickly and walked out the door, pulling the glove back on.

Fever. Just what Reeve needed at the moment. As if nothing else could go wrong in Reeve's already destroyed life. His friend's injuries, combined with Shalua's death, were not doing him any good at all. What he needed now, instead of a head on battle with Deepground, was rest, food, hydration and medical attention. But as of now, no time or WRO medical staff could be spared. Not even for their own Commissioner.

Excellent.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the up's and down's of friendship performed by Vincent and Reeve. Cheers!