Silent Angel

Author: Spellspinner Vincent Valentine

Rating: M – for Cid's language mostly…and possible scenarios in later chapters…

Pairing: Vincent/Yuffie post DoC

Warnings: Romance/Angst (nothing too serious). If you don't like the pairing please just don't read. I have a very good counter flamer willing to help me so no flames… consider yourself warned.

AN: I'm gonna try to keep my updates coming in steady. It's hard since I am prone to writers block but I do love writing so I'll write whenever I get a spare minute.

Note: Italics are the thoughts of people; bold italics are the thoughts of Chaos.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic and the odd idea I had behind it. Vincent and Yuffie are not mine nor are the other Final Fantasy characters. Vincent, Yuffie, and all the Final Fantasy VII characters are the property of their respective owners.

Please read, review (this one especially would be much appreciated), and enjoy.

Chapter 3

Obscured by the Shadows

The afternoon sun shifted from its seat in the heavens with the growing hours. Not once in those hours did he move from his spot. Not once did Yuffie stop for more than three minutes. When the setting sun finally began to sink behind the mountains and the sky began to grow darker, Yuffie finally decided to end her practicing for the day and to return to her home.

Yuffie looked out at the darkening firmament over the sea, and the moon rising on the horizon. Small stars were emerging from their hiding places in the heavens, filling the velvety night sky with jewel-like shimmers of light. Her mother had told her once, when she was still young and afraid of the dark, that the night sky was simply a beautiful traveler's cloak that the sun put on when it continued its journey to the other side of the world. Her mother described it as dark velvet, studded with diamonds, and the moon was a glowing amulet that protected the sun in the dark.

Yuffie had always loved her mother's description of the night sky, and from that day on, she was never afraid of the night. The ever darkening sky drew her out of her slight reverie. She would have to hurry home, the beasts were more ferocious at night, and the ocean was a good distance away from Wutai.

As she turned to head toward the sandy dunes that hid the old beaten road back to Wutai she heard something flap in the wind. Yuffie tightened her grip on her shuriken as she turned and scanned the coast behind her. There was nothing. The old ripped sails of the ship were sheltered from the breeze and thus, were still. But I heard something…where did it… Her eyes scoured the dark shadows of the cliff until she saw it. Some form of tattered cloth blew in the breeze. What little of it caught the moonlight caused her eyes to widen. She would know that tattered fabric anywhere. He…he's here…it has to be him! "Vincent!!!" she yelled, her voice echoing along the cliff walls. The cloth drew suddenly back into the shadows. "Vincent, wait!!" she yelled running to the steep wall of rock. Without pausing to think she dug two of the sharp blades of her shuriken into a crevice in the wall and jumped up onto it.

Once she was content that her weapon would support her weight she began climbing. If Vincent really was up there, it would be the first time anyone had seen him in half a year. She climbed swiftly and with remarkable caution despite her haste. Doubt began to plague her mind as she drew closer to the ledge. What if it had been a mere illusion? What if Vincent had not been there at all? What if, in her desperate desire to see him again, her mind had conjured but a glimpse of the one she ached to see?

Damn my mind to hell if that's what happened!!! Yuffie thought reaching up for the ledge. I know what I saw! Vincent was here. I know he was. I believe he was. Her hand made contact with the sand covered ledge, I have to believe he was…; she relinquished her grip on the crevice below her when she felt it. The soft sand made her hand slide. The ledge slipped beyond her grasp before she realized what was happening. Her foothold was not strong enough to support her weight as she reached out desperately for the ledge. She heard, and felt the rock crumble beneath her. Her stormy gray eyes widened when she saw the outcrop suddenly jump a few inches higher.

She was falling and it was too late to do anything about it. She was up too high to survive the fall and even if by freak chance she did, she would be seriously injured. Such injuries would leave her helpless on the beach, a sitting duck for all sorts of beasts. The sandy ledge slipped further away. So this is it… I die like this... She thought gazing longingly at the ledge. Vincent…how ironic huh…if I had to see anyone before I died, I'd want it to be you, looks like I'm not even gonna get that…

Yuffie was startled from her ridiculously morbid thoughts on death, dying, being splattered on the sand, and so forth, by a strong hand gripping her wrist, slowly pulling her up back to the ledge. As soon as she managed to crawl to her kneels she felt someone pull her roughly against them. She could hear her savior's heart pounding. She kept her eyes shut tight, almost afraid to open them.

She felt so stupid. She had climbed up a dangerous cliff for the pure purpose of finding Vincent, or what she thought was Vincent, and this poor stranger managed to save her. I'm such a klutz…if this guy hadn't… Guy??? Why was there a guy randomly on a high ledge? She had thought she had seen Vincent on this ledge. Oh Leviathan, what if…

She could feel long, soft hair whip past her head in the night breeze. She could smell the gunpowder, she could feel the gun's holster, she could hear his breathing slow to a more calming rate, and she recognized the red and black fabric her head rested against. Slowly she looked up. His face was obscured by the shadows that hid most of his form from sight. "Vincent?" She whispered, praying that he was no illusion, that the man who held her tightly against himself was real. She saw the flash of garnet eyes gazing at her. It was him.

She felt him release her and in a few seconds he sunk back into the shadows. "Vincent wait!!" she yelled again, reaching out to the darkness. Her hand grasped only air for a moment before connecting with the hard, cold rock face of the cliff. He was gone again. She stared blankly at the cliff for a few moments before the sound of motion above her, on the rock surface of the highest cliff ledge, caught her attention. It was only about ten feet. She could climb that far with no fear, especially if Vincent were there. She dug her hands into a crevice and began pulling her shaking body up the cliff face.

The sound of motion, just a few feet above her was becoming silent. She could hear him moving swiftly away. Is he running? Why would Vincent run from me? She grabbed a root from a large tree and pulled herself up onto the top of the cliff. She decided to return for her weapon in the morning. What weapons she had with her now would simply have to suffice.

Her eyes racked the path. A misplaced stone here or there could lead to a footprint…at least…she hoped so. Silence broken only by the sound of the wind around her and the waves crashing onto the shore below, seemed to engulf Yuffie's senses as she searched. It felt eerie being alone on the high cliff.

Vincent could have gone in any direction, and he was clever enough to leave no trace of which direction he had run off in. Not a single stone on the beaten gravel path out of place, not a single bit of tall grass flattened…It occurred to Yuffie then, that Vincent really was a masterful escape artist, more so than she had ever been anyway.

Safe, out of sight, and silent was how he would remain until Yuffie sighed in frustration and continued onto Wutai. He followed her from the safety of the shadows. Her every step watched closely by his expertly trained eye. If she was in danger at any point during her trek home, it was taken care of so swiftly that the young ninja never had to throw a glance behind her. Vincent was grateful he had put forth the extra Gil for the silencer for Cerberus. Every shot fired broke none of the night's peaceful sounds. Each beast was felled in silence and so swiftly even their bodies crashing to the ground went unheard by Yuffie.

The trip back to Wutai seemed to take longer than he expected. Yuffie was walking slowly, obviously lost in thought. Well of course she is. You saved her and then vanished. Of course she is going to be lost in thought. She is probably wondering what would cause you to run from her.

I had to. I feel like I am going mad. I can not look at her without feeling…strange. When she fell my heart was pounding so fiercely I thought it might explode. I can not and must not feel this way… Vincent thought moving with remarkable grace through the dense woodland surrounding Wutai. Do you not see how wrong it is for me to feel this way about her? I'm more than twice her age…

I fail to see how your age plays any role…Women younger than her have married men older than you.

It is not right. She should be with someone her age. Someone not so hardened to the world around them.

Do you wish to know what I think Valentine? Chaos said softly to him, the words in Vincent's mind seemed deeper than usual, almost as though they had been given serious thought. I think you are afraid of being loved. You are afraid of being betrayed by love.

Chaos honestly had no idea how correct he was this time. Love had been the greatest joy in Vincent's life and at the same time it had been the greatest pain he could have ever imagined. The one woman he loved more than life itself had been his downfall. She had punished herself for it and her actions had led him to punish himself. The fear that someone else could fill the void in his heart, the fear that he could be betrayed by what he secretly wished for, and the fear that he would harm the one capable of saving him from a lonely, bleak existence was what was holding him back. He understood it and he wished he did not. Admitting Chaos was right was never the highlight of his day. More so than you could ever imagine Chaos…

…So you will condemn yourself to a life of solitude out of fear? Coward. I never pegged you as being so weak. You were always bitter, intelligent to some degree, dense about women, and perhaps a bit too cold but never so weak. Fine…wallow in your own misery. Desire her and watch her from afar…just do not say I didn't warn you when it causes her pain. Psh...weak and cowardly…letting a woman suffer because you are afraid to take a leap of faith.

Chaos thought him a coward. Yet again, ironically, how right the demon was. Only a coward would let Yuffie suffer. He had heard her clearly in the cavern when she said she was in love with him. Her reckless act of climbing the cliff, without even a guarantee he would be there, served to confirm it. The pictures in her room, the way she talked in her sleep about him, and the way she had looked at him when he pulled her to safety were all assurances that her words had not been spoken falsely. Any fool could have seen it. The fact that it took so long for him to realize that she truly was in love with him bothered Vincent greatly. Yuffie Kisaragi was obviously in love with him, and it was a realization that frightened Vincent Valentine.

Chaos seemed to think Yuffie would be miserable without him. The forlorn expression that she now wore was proving the demon's theories. All the times he had put her in danger and all the times she had been hurt because of him however served to prove his own theory that Yuffie would be miserable with him. What now? Damned if you do, damned if you don't… He did not wish Yuffie to be in such a predicament.

Finally, Yuffie reached the safety of Wutai. He followed closely, always silently, and always in the shadows. She did not return to her home as he expected, but rather, walked to one of the bridges over the rivers that flowed through Wutai toward the ocean. Wutai's spring festival would be upon the town soon. He had noticed people decorating the town during the day, some stringing up beautiful paper lanterns throughout the city, others arranging flowers throughout the city. The bridges had been given special attention.

The lanterns that lit the bridge cast a warm glow around it, making the flowers that had been woven in strings along the bridge's rails look almost ethereal. The hints of pale pink blossoms made the bridge look like a strange sleeping beast with pale scales. Yuffie stood there, at the center of the bridge, staring down at the flowing water. The light caught a faint glimmer on her cheek. A tear…

Vincent cursed silently to himself. Above all things, he hated seeing a woman cry. It was particularly hard to watch this time, since he knew the cause of her tears was he, Vincent Valentine, and none other. I should have left last night once she was in bed. None of this would be happening… He watched and waited. Yuffie spoke only in her native tongue, words he could not remember or understand, regardless of this however, he knew her words to be sad. Why did I flee when she saw me? Why did I run when she reached out to me? Why am I so afraid of letting her get close to me? Why? Why? Well it was simple... I don't want to hurt her, I don't want to let her down, and if I do not get involved with her I can do neither. This was twisted logic, according to Chaos. Denying Yuffie what she desired was, according to the demon, causing Yuffie just as much pain as anything Vincent could do to harm her. To Vincent, that was twisted logic.

Twisted…logic…that's exactly what it was. What else could it be? However the glimmer of the tear that fell from Yuffie's eyes made it seem like pure, simple, logic. The tear made Chaos's theory valid. He was causing her pain…which was one of the very things he wished never to do. It was irritating, agreeing with Chaos so much in a single day! If he left now he would have to return. Simply watching her was filling the void within him, being near was healing old wounds, and hearing her voice was allaying the darkness within him. I can't let this happen...I can't fall in love with her.

Can't…or won't?

Both! Vincent tore his gaze away from Yuffie. What would the others think of such a thing? Could he even tell them? What would they think of him if he did tell them? Yuffie had left the bridge and began walking to her home, at which point Vincent followed slowly behind. He would contemplate his next move tonight as she slept. He would watch her sleep as he had the previous night and think…think of who to turn to for advice.

What advice could a mortal possibly give you that I could not?

Advice that makes sense has no underlying ulterior motive, and that comes from the heart. Forgive me for saying this Chaos, but I believe that even Cid would give better advice than you. Vincent thought slipping into the house when again, Yuffie failed to completely shut her door. Chaos, much to Vincent's satisfaction, remained silent. Vincent moved swiftly into the darkest recesses of the room. He was grateful for the lack of light in the large room, for had there been more, Yuffie would certainly have noticed him.

This time when Yuffie shed her garments, he did not avert his eyes. He watched as a dark longing to reach out and pull her against him crept across his mind and his heart. Thoughts he knew he ought not to be thinking plagued his mind. How odd it was, he mused, that a girl so young and innocent could make him think things even the alluring Lucrecia had been unable to make him think. Odd...and completely improper…I should not be feeling this way, I should not desire her in such a way. This is…completely unlike me…

Unlike him?? When he thought about it, it was very much like him. After all, weren't such feelings part of the normal life he so desperately craved? His thoughts scattered when he saw her blow out the candle behind the paper lantern that lit her room. He watched her sit on her bed and gaze out the window. He found himself struggling to ignore that the only things covering her body were the bra and panties she was wearing. A feat that was much easier with Chaos being…eerily silent….Perhaps the demon was just as stunned by her beauty as he was. Why had he never noticed how beautiful she was before?? They had traveled together for so long, they had fought together, they were closer to each other than they were to any other members of AVALANCE. How had he failed to notice?

That's what happens when you fight your desires and constantly make excuses like "she's too young" or "she is my friend" or-

….Chaos…please just be silent. Pester me how ever you wish in the morning but for now…just be silent. Vincent thought watching Yuffie lay down slowly. She fell asleep quickly sprawled across her bed, tangled in her covers, and pillow over her face. A sight that made him smile. He went over to her bedside and gently lifted her in his arms, being ever so careful not to wake her. The warmth of her body made his mind go blank. In her peaceful sleep she snuggled closer to him and his breath caught in his throat. Vincent found himself almost unwilling to place her back in her bed.

He carefully held her against his body while drawing back her blanket and replacing her pillow. Hesitantly, and almost completely unwillingly, he laid her down in her bed and covered her with the blanket. Vincent sat back, out of the moon's pale light, once again obscured by the shadows of the room, and watched her. He watched the even rise and fall of her chest as she breathed slowly in her deep, peaceful sleep. Watching he made his decision. He would leave in the morning and find Cid Highwind. Cid was the only one married and easily the closest in age to him. Cid would hopefully have some good advice…

…Hopefully…