Greetings to all, and a question. Does anyone know a good website that has an accurate Englsih script of DoC? I've decided that I'm too bored out of mind to wait for my friend to return the game, so if anyone has any ideas of wher I can find the script, it would be much appriciated.

Thanks for all the reviews, and I'll try to get the first chapter of the sequel up soon.

Cheers!

Kyyrin

Chapter Two

The pair rounded the bend and walked briskly for about a half hour in silence. Vincent, all the while wiping his nose with the back of his hand, as he had again forgotten his handkerchief in his rush.

They made their way up a short, but grueling mountain path, came to the high lying plains, and started to make their way to the middle of the vast fields.

Even Vincent noticed through all his discomforts, that it was a beautiful night. The sky was now clear, so that all the stars and the large moon were perfectly visible. The fresh fallen snow sparkled in the moonlight, as did Lucrecia's beautiful eyes.

He started. What was he thinking? She was way out of his league. She was a gorgeous, talented individual, while he was……well…….him. A shy, boring man with a profession that already had a terrible reputation.

As they reached the middle of the plains, the wind blew colder than before, and Vincent, who was soaked with sweat, shivered violently. But seeing that Lucrecia had nothing other than a thin cardigan and her lab coat on, he knew, sick or not, that it was his duty to be the gentleman.

He set down the equipment, removed his jacket and draped it over Lucrecia's shoulders.

This resulted in a reaction from her that he did not expect.

Lucrecia rounded on him with a fierce look in her eyes.

"Vincent Valentine, would you care to stop being the gentleman long enough to tell me what's going on?", she demanded angrily.

Vincent flinched. Lucrecia had never spoken to him in a tone like this before. It made him feel very, very ashamed. He hung his head.

Her voice took on her familiar soft tone again as she faced him.

"Ifrits Bane, I'm worried sick about you, Vincent. You've been here long enough to know better than to ignore a direct order from Hojo! Not to mention that you were already late to report for duties this morning. I dismissed those occasions, but it's just not like you! In all the months you've been assigned as my bodyguard you haven't been late once, and now you've managed it twice in one day?"

Vincent cringed inwardly. Damn. She had noticed. He had never thought that she kept track of the fact that he was always on time. She was obviously more perceptive than he gave her credit for.

"Please, Vincent! You can trust me! I really did mean it when I told you I'd be here for you if you needed me."

"I'm fine…", he muttered, not sounding anywhere near as convincing as before.

"Vincent Valentine, stop LYING to me!"

The sentence made his head snap up and stare at her in astonishment. Since when had she been able to read him like a book?

"Dr. Crescent, I------," he began, but Lucrecia cut him off.

"And just how many times have I told you to call me Lucrecia? I thought we were friends, Vincent!", she stared at him with that fiery gaze that made her so beautiful.

"I…", he stopped short. There was no point in lying anymore. And he did consider her a good friend, after all……perhaps someday even more than that. He shook himself.

"Alright….I'm sorry…Lucrecia."

"Good! But it would be better if you stopped apologizing so much!"

He avoided her gaze.

"Now tell me what's wrong…", she probed gently.

She looked up at him, waiting patiently for an answer.

He sighed, and decided to just spit out the truth before things got any more out of hand.

"I…well…erm….I'm not…feeling very well", he finished awkwardly. Wow. Good one, Valentine, he thought sarcastically. You sounded real intelligent there.

The fire in Lucrecia's eyes died immediately, and was replaced by a look of concern.

Before Vincent knew what was happening, she was standing inches away from his face, and had placed one of her soft hands on his forehead. He pulled back slightly at what seemed like an icy cold touch.

Lucrecia quickly snatched her hand back and look at him with a mixed expression of concern and disbelief.

"Vincent, you're burning up!", she stated frantically. "Why for the love of the Planet didn't you say something?"

Vincent opened his mouth to reply, but a harsh sneeze came out instead, and he quickly managed to cover his mouth with his hand, rubbing his nose afterwards.

"Bless you. How long have you been ill?", she asked in a tone that made bite back any lie he would have tried.

"I…since yesterday", he muttered resignedly, now having decided to just answer every question she fired at him with utmost honesty.

"And you came to work anyways? Vincent that is, besides being completely irresponsible, also childish! You're a grown man, and should be able to take care of yourself! Not to mention that you are now standing here in the freezing cold without a jacket on! How could you have let this get so out of hand?", she admonished kindly, but firmly.

"And don't say you're sorry, because I already know you are. Just because you're my bodyguard, doesn't mean you have to put your health on the line. How can you protect me properly in this condition?"

He didn't say anything. He had absolutely no idea what to say. He stared at the ground.

So he settled for trying to stem the flow of his running nose with his shirtsleeve.

Then he heard it. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. Lucrecia started to laugh.

It started as a giggle, but then turned into full-blown laughter.

He stared at her bug eyed. How could his misery be so hilarious?

She laughed for a few more minutes before pulling out a handkerchief, taking his hand, and pushing the cloth into it.

"Mr. Valentine, you really do act like a child", she stated, still giggling softly. And then more somberly, "You really have no idea of how to care for yourself in a situation like this."

He looked at the handkerchief in his hand, and dropped all his barriers. He knew she was right. He had never really been sick enough to require any kind of care, except for one embarrassing situation. Let alone having someone there who gave a damn about him. Being cared for was something he hadn't known since his parents had been alive. And that had been many years ago. Being a Turk meant no time for illness. You either sucked it up, or quit. He had always done the former.

Exhausted beyond belief and past the point of caring if it began to show, he dabbed his nose with the cloth and ran a hand through his hair, squeezing his eyes shut to try and wake himself up.

He slowly opened them again as he felt warmth on his shoulders. He turned to see Lucrecia draping his jacket over him.

"Come on, Vincent. We're going back to the manor," she said with him a look that told him she wouldn't take no for an answer.

"But, Dr.------, Lucrecia. Your experiments…and……Dr. Hojo….." he trailed off, seeing the look on her face.

"My experiments can wait, and I'll take care of Hojo. Your health is more important right now. Let's go."

"But the equipment…" he made a move to pick it up. Bad idea.

The dizziness returned with a vengeance, and this time he couldn't stay upright. Lucrecia caught him before he collapsed to the ground. He looked up at her, and could make out the worry that was evident on her face, though his vision was swimming.

"Vincent?" came her concerned voice. It seemed far away.

"…….dizzy……", he muttered.

"Vincent!!!" came her worried cry before he lost consciousness.

Short chapter. I know. I also just noticed that I use really mean cliffhangers...heh, well can't be helped. Cheers!