Disclaimer: I own nothing once again. Thanks to everyone who reviewed it means so much to me.

READ THIS FIRST: THIS IS THE CONCLUDING CHAPTER FOR 'SAVE MY FROM MYSELF', so I'm putting it in Vincent's POV, just to get more in depth. The ending is shocking, let me tell you.

WARNING: This chapter contains blood, and violence Just so you know, I don't hate Lucrecia.

Chapter Twelve:

I slept next to Lucrecia that night. I felt so happy to be sleeping next to her, though I didn't know how she really, really felt. I'm also kind of worried about her. What ever happened to Hojo? If he hurt her, then as far as I'm concerned, it would be his last day on earth. Nothing had happened the night before, so there wasn't anything for her to feel guilty about. I rolled onto my back, and sighed. Then, I saw Lucrecia standing by the side of the bed. He hair was fixed, her clothes were neat, she was refreshed. She smiled. Something was different today; something was different in her smile. Whatever it was, it made me feel like the most important man in the world. She walked over to my side of the bed, touching my arm. "Come on, we've gotta go to school," she said.

School. 'Great...'

I sighed heavily, and got up. I stumbled slightly; the alcohol I had last night was getting to my head. I shook my head, trying to clear my obscured vision. Lucrecia helped me regain my balance and hugged me tightly. "Are you okay?" she asked me. I sighed, putting my head in his hand.

"I don't know..."

"You need to stop drinking."

"Well, I feel like I need something to vent off of!"

"You can always come to me, Vincent. I'll be here for as long as you want to be here." I sighed, and involuntarily sat back down on the bed. My head ached, my body pulsed, everything felt sore. It was all my fault. Why was I always such a jerk to myself? Here Lucrecia was trying to help me, and all I do is self destruct! Why do I always let everyone down, including myself? Lucrecia gently sat down next to me, sliding her hand into mine. "You know, I really love you, Vincent," she said. I closed my eyes, listening to her words, and her words only.

"But, I want to be with you if you have respect for yourself."

"...But, I always feel like I need someone else to keep me on track..."

"Vincent, if you want me to save you, you're gonna need to save yourself from yourself first." My heart sank, beating fast. I loved Lucrecia. I needed her. She was the only one keeping me alive. I couldn't repeatedly let her down.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, Vincent. I'll always be here for you. Now, come on, I need to go back home and you need to get ready for school."

School. 'Great...'

I stood up, and hugged Lucrecia. She smiled. "I'll see you later today, okay?" she said, her hand slipping from mine as she walked to the door. I nodded. She smiled at me, and then she was gone.

I loved her too much to let her down.

I walked to the school steps, not wanting to go in. I was dreading seeing the bitch that tried to make a move on me the day before. I looked at the building with dread. Today was gonna be a long day. And what made it worse was the fact that I had to do harder labor in order to pay for that damn door I broke during by outburst of fury.

Cloud approached my side. I didn't say anything, but I knew what he was going to say. "Hey, what was up with you yesterday?" he asked. I sighed, walking to the side of the steps and pulling out a cigarette. I lit it, expanding the tension between Cloud's question and I. I inhaled the smoke deeply before answering.

"You better not tell anyone," I said. I tried to make my voice more threatening, so he knew that I meant it more than anything. Cloud nodded, his eyes getting wider. I took another puff of smoke, blowing it out slowly. Cloud coughed as the gray smoke swirled into his face. I chuckled inside, but tried to keep it on the subject. "...You know Professor Elena?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"...The bitch tried to make a move on me yesterday." Cloud gasped, and I immediately dropped the cigarette, covering Cloud's mouth. "Shh!" I said, try

"Shjse huit oon yoo?!" Cloud said under my muffling hand. I leaned back against the wall, and sighed. I really, really didn't want this to get out to everyone.

"Yeah..." I said.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I don't fucking want to see that bitch! She can go fuck the principal for all I care..."

"Are you gonna tell someone about it?"

"Fuck, no. I'm grown, I can take care of myself." I looked around, wondering if Lucrecia had gotten here yet. I was wondering whether I should tell her about what professor Elena did, or keep it a secret. All I wanted right now was to see her. I needed to see her gorgeous smile, her amazing eyes, and I wanted to tell her that I loved her. The night and morning before was still stuck to my mind. There was a swarm of students gathered at the steps; cliques talking, jocks tossing footballs around; I was just there, searching for my love. I couldn't fight the involuntary feeling of worry when I didn't spot her immediately. "Cloud?" I asked, still not turning away from my personal search.

"Yeah?" Cloud asked.

"Have you seen Lucrecia?"

"No." I also couldn't fight back the involuntary stop of my heart. Maybe she was late. I convinced myself that was what it was. Nothing else, nothing else but tardiness. But something inside me couldn't help but feel like something bad had happened. I couldn't stop myself from feeling that way. I was a magnet for trouble, but could I sense it? No. I told myself I was too worthless. The school bell rang, awaking me from my little world. I turned to Cloud. "I'm gonna go, alright?" I said.

"What? Why?" Cloud asked. His eyes were full of concern and worry. I tried to hide my sympathy and guilt as I walked away.

"I'll see you around, alright?" I said over my shoulder. I knew he must have been left in a confused state.

My heart was racing as I powerwalked down the sidewalk. The sun was out, but thin clouds started to emerge from the blue heavens. My eyes ached from the powerful light. The houses on the side were empty, no lights or anyone on the porch. Everyone was either at work or at school. Was I worrying too much? Was I overreacting just because I loved Lucrecia so much?...No. I wasn't overreacting. These feelings were true. There was nothing I could do about that. My boots stormed the sidewalk, the sound was loud to my ears. Lucrecia's house was just a little further. I then started to run. My ankle was hurting more than ever, but I pushed through the pain like there was never one wound on my body. I couldn't wait any longer.

I approached the house, knocking on the door frantically. "Lucrecia?" I asked. I knocked a little louder, just in case she was still upstairs. But then, the door opened. It hadn't been locked, or closed all the way. It slowly slid open, and I felt a rush of cool air. The smell was clean, just like it was when I had been there before. I stepped into the house, throwing my bag onto the floor. "Lucrecia? You up there?" I called up the steps. No one was home. Where had she gone? Where was anyone? I quickly stepped onto the stairs, skipping two steps as I went to the top. "Lucrecia?" I asked. My heart was racing madly, my mind was starting to freak out on me. My blood pumped quickly through my face. All in all, I felt sicker than any hangover.

One of the hallway doors was slightly ajar. I stepped into the doorway.

I could have died right there.

Lucrecia was laying on the floor in a pool of blood, her eyes closed. My scream was darker, angrier, louder, and more ominous than anything in the world. My mind raged. I ran over to her, kneeling by her side and picking her up. "Lucrecia!" I screamed. There was blood all over her clothes, and some was coming from the corner of her mouth. Her hair was ruffled from her fall to the ground, and her hands and legs were bloody. Hot tears streamed down my face as I became more and more angry. "Lucrecia! Wake up! Please!" I hollered.

The only perfect feature on her body at the moment, the only thing that had been untouched were her smooth, delicate eyes. They were closed. Her dark eyelashes rested gently on her face, and her eyes weren't strained. They were peacefully closed. I started crying harder than ever, not believing what I held in my arms. I didn't believe what had become of my guardian angel who was laying in my arms. "Lucrecia, please...Open your eyes.." I cried, my sobs taking over me. My eyes wandered down, and I saw the confirmation of her death. A bullet wound. She'd been shot.

"No!!!" I screamed, my voice loud and outraged. My head sank down, crying as I held Lucrecia in my arms. She was gone. I felt no pulse as my head laid down into her neck. Her arms were fallen by her sides, never to move again. It seemed like nothing was real. In my mind, she was invincible. In my head, she was an angel, never to die, but to heal and guide me. She was just trying to save me! I didn't even get to tell her how much I loved her, and how much I cared about her...

But then, my sobs stopped. I could feel the hate growing inside me, the beast inside me raging, my rage and anger overpowering me. My eyes felt hot, my breathing got heavier as I came to my conclusion. There was only one person who would do something so cruel, something so life changing just to hurt me. All my sadness was overtaken by my rage, my anger, my bloodboiling hate. Him. He was going to pay for the death of my one and only.

"Hojo..."

I had called the ambulance, but hadn't gone to the hospital just to get confirmation that my guardian angel was dead. I didn't need that. What did I need? Revenge. My search for Hojo began.

He couldn't go on living. I wasn't going to let him. He didn't deserve it. He deserved nothing. He wasn't worthy. I bought myself a new handgun, and proceeded to buy dozens of bullets. Who knows how many I was going to use? Maybe just one, or twenty, or fifty perhap...

The rain came down in buckets upon the world; upon my world at least. It was a night of thunder, a night of evil, a night of revenge. There were already dark puddles on the sidewalk and on the road. The clouds were darker and heavier than ever, and they almost had a dark purple color. The lightning stretched down from the sky to the land, the bolts electrifying and ominous. I'm sure that if anyone else was walking at this time, I was nothing more than a shadow that blended in with the night. I didn't care. My world had already crashed down on me, leaving me with pain and sorrow. I didn't need to worry about who I was to other people; other than Hojo. To him, I would tonight be a killer. And he was my first victim.

I approached his home. I saw that the lights were off through the windows. 'Hiding...'

My emotions grew darker as I walked closer to the door. Not one thing would be the same ever again. No, not after tonight. Nothing had been the same since Lucrecia had gone back to heaven with the angels. But I would do her job for her. I'm going to make Hojo pay. There was no doubt in my mind that Hojo wouldn't be painless after tonight. He'd feel the same pain that he put Lucrecia through. He'll pay for everything; I'll make sure of it.

I knocked on the door, not really expecting an actual answer. "Knock knock..." I said under my breath. No answer. But my senses told me that my suspicions of someone being in there were right. I smiled to myself, another streak of lightning crackling down from the sky. I jumped down from the porch to the side of the house to one of the four pane windows. The dark curtains blocked my view. With one blow, I launched my fist into the window, watching it shatter just like my heart did. The bits of glass scattered onto the dark grass. I cleared out the space, not caring that blood was seeping through my glove. I climbed over the ledge, into the house. I had succeeded in my break in. But that wasn't what I was worried about. All I wanted was my revenge.

The house was dark. I was in the kitchen, but I felt someone in the room. I felt their presence. I already knew who it was. Him. The ungrateful bastard who didn't deserve life. I loaded my handgun, looking around. My eyes looked around hungrily, bathing in the darkness of the room. Just then, I heard something move upstairs. I looked to the stairs, and someone had turned the light. "Hello?" Hojo asked. I heard the bastard's voice, right on my ears that were still scarred by my screams. I smiled to myself. This was it. The time.

I slowly approached the archway which lead to the stairs. I made sure that my footsteps sounded scary, as menacing as they could. The hallway light was bright. There was white carpet on the steps. It looked soft and fluffy. I imagined it stained with Hojo's blood.

I turned the corner to look to the top of the steps. No one was there anymore. I couldn't help smiling to myself as I slowly walked up the stairs. My stomach was crawling, my heart was fit to bursting, and my mind thought of nothing but these few moments. I wasn't gonna let them slip through my fingers as I had let happen to my father, my friends, and my only one...Lucrecia. There was a door to my right, and it was Hojo's room. There wasn't a sign on the door, and the door wasn't open: I could sense it. I felt it in my loins. Curling my fist with rage, I kicked the door open. BOOM!

Hojo was at his desk, looking up things in books. They were about science, and experiments. He looked up at me, and I saw the fear in his face. The horror in his eyes was unlike anything I had ever seen. It made me feel powerful. I pointed the handgun at him, but didn't say a word. Hojo started whimpering, getting up from his desk, and backing away. "Vincent Valentine! Get out of my home!" he yelled. I could hear the strain in his voice to sound serious, but it was masked by pure, bloody fear. I walked slowly towards him, keeping my position.

"You killed her..." I said darkly. There was no room in my head for sympathy.

"What?!"

"Lucrecia...You killed Lucrecia..." I cocked the pistol, which sent him to the ground. He covered his head, screaming for me to stop. It was pathetic. Someone who claimed to be so strong as to shoot someone, was now cowering in fear at the sight of an overturned pistol. What's the worst of all was that he killed my Lucrecia. My beautiful Lucrecia Crescent who had never gotten the chance to fully live.

"You don't deserve life.." I said, leaning down and grabbing Hojo by his coat, pulling him upright. He was shorter than I was; another advantage. But I already knew I had all the advantages. If I didn't, I wouldn't have left my apartment.

"Please! Have mercy!" Hojo yelled, refusing to look me if the eyes. I then pushed the gun onto his temple, and he screamed loudly. Tears ran down his face. I had no place for mercy in my heart. He gave me no mercy, he gave Lucrecia no mercy: he didn't deserve it.

"You're gonna feel the same pain Lucrecia felt, only she dealt with it for a split second that one day. I'm gonna make sure you don't fall so easily." I pointed the gun to his leg, and pointed the trigger. His bloodcurtling screams filled the whole house. He fell down to the floor, squeezing his limb in agony. I kneeled down. "Does it hurt, hm?" I asked. He didn't reply in anything other than a scream. I stood for a moment, and kicked his leg. It added to his pain. He screamed louder. "Do you hurt now, huh?" I asked, shooting his other leg. I completely blocked out his screams, and fired at his stomach. He croaked, and fell limp to the ground. His eyes closed, as a pool of his blood sprouted out from under him.

I did it. I had taken my revenge, and made what I wanted out of it. I was never going to let go of my love for Lucrecia, not for anything or anyone.

...No matter what the consequences were.

The Midgar police had come to Hojo's house when people started spreading rumors. Thats where they had found the scene of my crime, and thats when they caught me.

Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, Barret, and Cid were in shock. The death of Lucrecia, along with the death of Hojo couldn't be separate situations. Eventually, they got the whole story. I haven't spoken to them since; not even Yuffie has pestered me. Part of it was because they might be caught in disbelief, and another part of it was because I was confined to a jail sentence of ten to fifteen years.

The handcuffs around my wirsts were cold and hard against my soft flesh. A policeman was walking me to my jail cell. The people I saw here were different than anyone I had ever seen. Macho, muscular, threatening, and menacing. I didn't know if I'd fit in here, but I would admit that this is what I deserved. I wasn't going to beg for freedom, or say that this is unfair punishment. I commited a crime, one that was both bad, and still replenishable to me in a way. Inside, I knew it was wrong. But I felt like I had gotten my life revenge for everything bad that ever happened to me, or Lucrecia. I had gotten my taste for sweet revenge.

The policeman opened the jail cell door, sliding it open. The sound of the metal sliding against the hinges made me cringe. The cell was dark and lonesome; how would this be any different than my previous home? He released me from my handcuffs, and I walked into the cell. I listened to the jingling keys as he shut the gate on me. Ten to fifteen years in solitary confinement.

I hung my hands outside on the handlebars, looking down. Part of me ached. Part of me was glad to have my revenge. But I found the aching feeling starting to become more dominant over my feeling of triumph. Memories crossed my mind, sending me fighting back tears.

"My name is Lucrecia...Lucrecia Crescent."

"And I love you, and I want to keep loving you for a long time."

"...you're gonna need to save yourself from yourself first."

I sighed, my heart slowly sinking into an abyss of turmoil.

"Lucrecia...I've done it...I've gotten your revenge...Your revenge, and mine..."

THE END

I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking of doing a sequel. Don't forget about me.