I can't believe this stories progressed so much. I wasn't even supposed to go past the first chapt… and I've come to realize that I really like writing torture. Hmm, maybe I WILL actually write the 2nd story in that one series… I'll just have to punish myself for it afterwards.

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Vincent crashed into the ground, along the outskirts. He lay there, his head spinning. The view of Cerberus lying next to him caught his eyes. He grasped it, trying to push himself up.

Chaos' demented laughter echoed as he came closer. Vincent barely had time to turn to him, when he was hit and sent flying into the eighth floor window of a nearby apartment complex.

The people screamed upon sight of him. Vincent pushed himself up, glancing up at them. "Run, now."

He gripped Cerberus, which had somehow stayed in his hand, and managed to stand. The gunman turned towards the window, glancing out to see if he could find Chaos. He didn't want to be this close to the city. This wasn't going as planned.

"Oh, Vincent." Came Chaos' sickeningly sweet tone. At least he seemed to be losing his ferocity

Vincent hid along next to the window, seeing that the people were still there. "What are you doing!? Get out of here!"

"Aha." Chaos slid in through the window. "There you are."

The couple started screaming at the sight of the demon. Chaos rolled his eyes, holding a hand up to them. It began to radiate with energy. "Oh shut up. This doesn't concern you."

"NO!!!" Vincent watched in horror, as the people were dissolved under Chaos' blast. He did, however, seize the opportunity to slip out of the fire escape.

Knowing he wouldn't make it to the ground before Chaos found him, Vincent slid back inside a couple of floors down. He ran through the rooms, shushing a woman inside, and proceeded on down and out of the building.

Vincent limped into an alley, falling to the ground to catch his breath. He opened the chamber of Cerberus to see the two remaining glowing bullets. Since Gigas was nowhere to be found, he assumed he could use both to try and nail Chaos, but there was still that doubt that the fourth demon was still around somewhere. He closed the Chamber, his head falling back against the hard brick. His breath caught in his throat as the demon's subtle footsteps could be heard.

He edged away slowly, trying to reach the other side without being heard. The distant sound of Fenrir's engine could be heard, providing some cover for him to rise to his feet and run. Vincent panted, holding a hand to the wound in his chest, his head fell back, eyes closing. He looked around, still searching for something that may be strong enough to break through Chaos' armor.

Something clamped over the gunman's mouth, dragging him back into a small nook off the side of the alley. A pair of arms, that he didn't recognize, hung onto him. Keeping a hand tight over his mouth. The smell of what seemed like rotting flesh began to fill his nose. He was only distracted from the smell, with seeing Chaos walk by in front of him, so close that his heart nearly stopped. Vincent's hands clung to the large hand over his mouth, feeling a hard metal covering the knuckles. He ran his fingers over the metal, slowly beginning to realize that they were nails. He knew who this was. That would explain why the other arm felt so odd.

The hand finally left his face, and Vincent spun around to verify. "Gigas? You're alright." He gasped quietly.

The demon nodded, though seemingly favoring a cut on his shoulder. Something told him it used to be much worse.

The relief fell from Vincent's face. "Are you here to help me?"

Gigas nodded again, holding up his hammer.

Vincent looked at it, trying to interpret what he was trying to tell him. A subtle realization started to come over him. "Are you saying that could break through Chaos' armor."

He nodded once more, standing. Vincent hadn't yet realized that Gigas wasn't on his feet. Being one for so long, he didn't quite know how large any of them really were.

The demon clamped a hand on the gunman's shoulder, nudging him back as he stepped towards the entrance.

They heard Fenrir zooming into the city, the engine sounding as if it'd slowed. Vincent gasped. "He's in the open." Vincent slid out from the nook, only to have Gigas grab his arm and drag him back. He shook his head, letting Vincent go. The gunman nodded, inching forward carefully, glancing around the side of the alley. Fenrir was stopped, coming into view. Cid had hitched a ride with CLoud. The helicopter could be heard off in the distance.

"Well, well. Look who's here." Chaos' voice slinked out coolly, as Cid and Cloud raised their weapons.

"Where's Vincent!?" Cid snapped.

Chaos laughed. "Hell if I know. That man's sneaky. Not sure if he ever was before, or if it rubbed off from me. Either way, I'm kinda proud of him for being able to hide from me." He stepped closer to them. The two fighters backed away from the approaching demon. Vincent's heart froze in his chest.

Chaos' grin spread. "I know you came here to help him, but in reality, you're going to help me." He lunged forward, seizing Cid around the neck. Cloud jumped, bringing down his sword over Chaos. The demon grabbed the blade with ease, throwing it aside, along with its owner.

Cid cringed, as the demon dropped him to his feet, still having a tight grip around the back of his neck, sinking in his claws until the pilot collapsed to his knees.

The frozen heart sank. "Cid." He started out, when Gigas grabbed his arm tightly. Vincent looked up at the demon in desperation. "But, he's got Cid. I have to help him."

Gigas shook his head, sternly, head turning back to the scene before them.

"What's wrong, Vincent?" He squeezed tighter, forcing Cid to cry out, his vision fading. His hands pulling at the sharp fingers. "Are you so scared of me, that you'll let your beloved Cid suffer, at my hands."

"VINCE, STAY BACK!!"

"Oh, shut up." Chaos tossed the pilot to the ground, then picked him back up, continuing his assault.

Vincent's eyes started to tear, as the grip on his arm tightened. "Cid." He whispered desperately. "Let me go." He pulled at the demon's hands. "I have to help him."

Gigas turned his head down to Vincent, then back out to Chaos. His grip adjusted to Vincent's chest shoving him back into the wall, at full force. Vincent cried out, his breath being knocked from his lungs.

Chaos' attention snapped to the noise. He grinned, proceeding closer, as he drug Cid behind him.

Gigas pushed the confused gunman further back behind him, raising the hammer. When Chaos got in range, the demon swung the heavy stone hammer, slamming the full weight into his superior's chest, smashing the armor. Chaos flew back in confusion, dragging the pilot along with him.

"Cid!"

Gigas shoved Vincent forward. The gunman glanced back at him, beginning to understand. Taking advantage of Chaos' moment of confusion, and fired. The demon raised a hand, taking the gleaming bullet into his palm. He laughed firing a beam of energy at Vincent. Vincent backed up, hitting a wall. Preparing for the impact, he closed his eyes, turning away from the blast… but it never hit him. Vincent looked up to see it had stopped right in front of his face. Chaos seemed just as confused as he was. "What? What's going on?"

The blast retracted, sucking back into his hand… into the hole now in the palm. "NO!!" The hole retracted sucking the full form of the demon into a small compressed summons.

Cid collapsed to the ground, looking back and forth between the summons and his lover. Vincent smirked, almost hitting hysteria. What the hell?

He ran over to Cid, throwing his arms around him. "Oh, Cid. I'm so sorry."

Cid smiled, hugging him back. "I'm fine, Vince, but you have one more." They both glanced back at Gigas, who turned against their gaze… and ran.

Vincent jumped, about to chase him, but stopped. He glanced to Cid, asking the silent question. Cid nodded. "You have to, and you know it as well as I do."

The gunman hung his head, then nodded, taking off to chase after Gigas.

Cloud staggered out from the hole in the wall. "No, don't worry about me… I'm fine." He collapsed, dropping his sword.

Cid stared at him for a moment, then picked up the Chaos summons. "You're one troublesome pain in the ass, aren't ya?"

xXx

Vincent tracked Gigas through a good portion of the town, and was amazed to find him stopped. The ex-Turk huffed, stepping slowly closer. "Gigas?"

The demon turned to face him.

"I don't want to do this, but I have no choice. I have to seal you away. Or else they're going to continue to hunt you. I know you don't want that."

Gigas stepped closer, raising his hammer. Vincent stepped back, raising Cerberus.

The demon halted, throwing the stone hammer to the side. He reached forward, placing a heavy hand over the confused gunman's chest, pressing hard into the wound there.

Gigas stepped back, kneeling before his 'master'.

Vincent stared at him in subtle confusion, but beginning understanding. He raised the gun, taking aim on the demon's heart, tears sliding down his face. "I'm sorry, Gigas."

xXx

Hearing the final gunshot, the others sped up to where it came from. Reno, Rude, and Tseng joined Cid in the search.

They came to the right location, to see Vincent laying limply against the broken stone wall, slipping in and out of consciousness.

Cid rushed to his side, taking his head in his hands. "Vincent?" He urged him awake, trying to get the gunman to look at him. "Vincent? Come on, baby. Stay with me."

Vincent looked up drowsily to Cid, and smiled. "Hey, Cid."

Reno searched around. "Where's the Materia, yo?"

Vincent shook his head.

"What? But we heard the shot."

Vincent shrugged. "I missed. He took off somewhere that way."

Cid stared at him in shock. "You missed?"

Vincent smiled. "It happens, Cid."

Rude groaned. "That was our last bullet."

"What do we do now?" Agonized Reno, nearly pulling out his hair.

"Whatever you want." Vincent began to stand, supported by Cid.

Three pairs of eyes fell on him, in shock.

"Aren't you going to help us go after him?" Inquired Tseng.

Vincent shook his head, that content smile never wanting to leave his face. "I never wanted to hunt Gigas anyway. He's you problem, now. Don't worry, I'm sure you can handle him. I'll just take the others and go."

"WHAT!?" All three exclaimed in unison.

Reno stepped forward. "Who said you got them, yo?"

"……… I did."

"…huh?"

"I told you before, they're my responsibility. So I get the summons. Besides… I don't trust ShinRa with that kind of power."

They started off, leaving three, very dumbfounded Turks, behind.

"Cid?"

"Yea?"

Vincent smiled up to his lover. "Do you think you can carry me? My legs are kinda weak."

"Uh… sure." Cid was a bit confused. Vincent didn't usually ask him to carry him like this, but hey… he wasn't about to complain.

The gunman laid his head on Cid's shoulder, sliding his arms around his neck. He closed his eyes in contentment. After a brief while, Vincent spoke, breaking the silence. "Hey, Cid."

"Yea?"

"He says he's sorry."

"He?"

"He's sorry he let them hurt me for so long."

Cid eyed him in confusion. "He who?"

Vincent looked up at him, still harboring that smile. "Gigas. Who else?"

"What? Vincent how could Gigas tell you…" His eyes widened in understanding. Then narrowed slightly, scolding. "You didn't."

The gunman settled back onto his lover's shoulder, closing his eyes, once more. "I had no choice. He had helped me so much, it was the least I could do." He sighed. "Besides… he doesn't deserve the same fate as the others."

"Wait… but you told them-"

"I know."

Cid grinned. "So… you're just sending them on a wild goose chase?"

Vincent chuckled. "That was his idea, too."

The subtle grin soon melted away. "Ya know what, Cid?"

"No. What?" He adjusted VIncent in his arms.

"This may sound odd... but i'm actually gonna miss them."

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AN: there… finally done. OMG I FINISHED A FIC… and it had a happy ending O.o? I usually don't plan happy endings but whutev. hee hee now i get to chapt the in progress thing to complete THIS IS A HAPPY DAY!!!

Another bit or randomness. Longing started playing whilst I was wrapping this one up lol. (for those who may not know… Redemption and Longing are two Gackt songs that pop up in DOC… Longing's the one that plays while you're Chaos… I actually really liked that part. Chaos is probably one of the only characters that I make a complete dick, but I actually like him… go figure.)