A/N: Sorry I couldn't update yesterday, I had family matters to take care of. Hopefully you're not too awful mad at me for not updating. I promise that this chapter will make up for the lost day, and without some of your reviews. I probably wouldn't have gotten this far. I don't know where I'm going to stop this story yet, but it'll come to me soon enough. I dedicate this chapter to 13onnie, Ryka Phoenix, and Toons; who have been loyal in reviewing every chapter so far.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or places in this story, they belong to Square. I pay the water bills though, xD. (You'll get it, trust me.)

Warning: This chapter contains mild language, blood, and mischief.

Slipping Into Tragedy-

Chapter 5-

It didn't take long for Cloud to load up Fenrir in the back of the helicopter compared to how long it took to get Yuffie strapped down into her seat. After much pushed and dragging, the ninja was down into her seat and mumbling something to herself. Vincent had already taken his seat and was glaring out into the distance to the northwest. Cloud noticed this and gave an anxious smile toward the ex-Turk, before taking his seat in the middle and strapping himself down into the crowded seat. The blonde could feel that the trip was going to be silent as usual, considering the look on Yuffie's face.

The helicopter started to hover over the ground as the blades spin faster, continuing in an upward motion. The young ninja had felt this and clenched her eyes shut as the carriage rocked up higher into the clear blue skies, where the wind whipped slightly past the blades.

"Cloud?..." Yuffie gulped out as she could feel her stomach twist into ceaseless twists and turns. The blonde looked over toward the young ninja and couldn't help but smile. Vincent had also heard Yuffie's plea and curiously looked over toward the young ninja. "Yes?" Cloud asked, looking pitifully at her. "…Arm?" Yuffie questioned hesitantly as she felt another wave of nausea pass over her body. Cloud quirked a blonde eyebrow in confusion, but suddenly realized exactly what the ninja meant. He lifted his left arm, and it was suddenly seized by the ninja, who was now clinging onto it for dear life. The ex-Turk shook his head before returning to his gaze at the passing ocean underneath them. Cloud smiled at Yuffie, before turning his head to do the same thing as Vincent had chosen to do.

…

Yuffie had remained in the same spot through out the entire trip back to Midgar. Cloud couldn't feel his arm, as all the blood had stopped circulating through it. The helicopter touched down lightly to the ground that only hard work and experience could possibly pull off. The engine slowed into a light whir as its life was temporarily taken from it. Vincent had already jumped out of the vehicle and waited for the other two to climb out.

After much prying of the ninja's fingers, Cloud could start to feel his arm again, even if it was a distant feeling. Yuffie fell flat on the ground as she got out, and was almost stepped on when Cloud thought she would move, but by sheer reaction, did he avoid the ninja's head. He laughed as he could see Yuffie's pupils turn into small dots as she tried to stand up, in which she failed miserably. The blonde had gone to the back of the helicopter, unclasping the straps that held it down with much ease. He turned the ignition on and rode it to a safe distance away from the helicopter and waved the pilot away. The pilot nodded and the engine roared back to life as it lifted back into the sky and disappeared shortly after.

"Come on Yuffie…" Cloud pleaded lightly as she was crawling on the ground toward the bike. Vincent had strode over beside her and picked her up by one of her many straps. Yuffie wobbled as the earth titled in front of her very own eyes. The ex-Turk slid gracefully onto the back of the motorcycle without incident. Yuffie had stumbled over to the motorcycle and fell onto the seat, making the motorcycle tip dangerously.

"Yuffie! I can't have you rocking this thing the entire time!" Cloud exclaimed as he turned around to face a green-tinted Yuffie. His gaze stuttered for a moment when he saw how sick the ninja had gotten. The blonde shook his head and turned back around to face the city of Midgar only about a half-mile away. "You throw up on Fenrir, and you're cleaning it up…" Cloud stated as he felt two thin arms wrap around his waist. "…that goes for my clothes as well…" The blonde added as he revved up the engine, sending it forward once again through the barren wastelands and toward the city…

…

Cloud could feel the young ninja become considerably better as they entered into the city, since she had loosened up her grip and kicking Vincent's pointed boot back off it's peddle. After a dangerous glare from the ex-Turk, her signature 'bored' sigh was back in recognition. The pavement began to slow beneath them as they approached the Seventh Heaven bar. They arrived in the afternoon on a working day and the street had become slightly congested. So Cloud had pulled through an alley to the extra parking in the back, where he found a good spot near the door. He turned the key the ignition and the engine instantly calmed without a complaint.

Yuffie had let go of her death grip around the blonde's waist, and jumped off the bike and ran toward the door in a single breath of air. Cloud had laughed at the young ninja as she threw the door open ran inside. Vincent had gotten off as well and waited by the door, probably deciding if he should enter or turn around and walk away.

The blonde had swiftly dismounted the Fenrir and kicked down its stand before tugging the key out of its socket and placing it neatly in one of his pockets. Cloud walked over to the back entrance and opened the door and walked through, holding it open for Vincent, who had finally decided to go inside and face the crowd. The blonde shut the door and walked up to the counter where Tifa was busy at the counter, and Yuffie who was already taking orders for the brunette.

Tifa had waved tiredly over at the two to come over, and the blonde began to work his way through the crowded tables with Vincent behind him. The usual glances were thrown at the ex-Turk, but he had already learned to deal with it. Cloud glared at those who were looking at him strangely, either out of curiosity or the more notable lust. He could barely get by one table without getting his ass pinched, but had somehow managed it without a single incident. He turned around as soon as he felt a cold emptiness behind him, in which Vincent had stopped and was glaring at the table that the blonde had just passed. That can't be good… The blonde thought as he retreated back to where the ex-Turk was standing. He could see Vincent's hand dangling dangerously above Cerberus and his gold claw almost fisted. Cloud had walked up to him, and didn't dare touch him in fear of being shot.

"…Vincent?" Cloud asked almost inaudibly, but the ex-Turk had heard the blonde's voice and titled his head slightly toward him. Cloud extended his hand to the Vincent's shoulder and placed it lightly on top of the heavy cloth already placed there. Vincent had begun to walk forward, and the blonde let the ex-Turk go ahead him and they continued to the counter in silence. Tifa had watched the entire episode with utter horror coursing through her veins, but breathed a sigh of relief when Cloud had gotten him to step down.

Yuffie had her own problems with the crowd, but ran as quickly as she could to get the orders out and get the customers to filter back into the streets. Tifa was always happy to see so many customers, but it wore her out quicker then she would usually expect it to. Cloud waved over to the brunette and pointed to the ceiling. Signaling he was going upstairs until it cleared out. The blonde had walked past Vincent and headed to the bottom landing of the stairs that would lead him into his own sanctuary.

Red orbs followed the blonde as he began to ascend the stairs to his room, and hesitantly followed Cloud up stairs. Cloud stopped as he heard the familiar clinking of metal against wood, and turned his head so that he could see if it was who he thought it was. Sure enough, it had been the ex-Turk that had followed him upstairs. Cloud's door was closed, unlike he had left it before. He figured it was Tifa who was trying to keep wandering eyes out of his bedroom. He turned the doorknob until it was clear of its holding. He walked past the door without shutting it, since he knew the ex-Turk would be in the room shortly.

The dark figure strode into the room and quietly shut the door behind him, turning toward the blonde who was now sitting on the edge of his bed with two hands clasped over his face. Vincent noticed this and slightly quirked a dark eyebrow in question. Cloud slid his hands back from his face, through his spiky blonde hair. The ex-Turk simply stood there for a few moments, before walking past the blonde and heading toward a chair in the corner of the room.

He gracefully sat down with an angry flip of his cape, before it to, settled down into its place.

"So, what happened out there?" Cloud asked, turning around to face the ex-Turk who sat motionless in his chair. The raven-haired man said nothing as he looked out aimlessly through the room's only window. "Hmm…that's what I thought." Cloud said knowingly, getting a curious look from red orbs across the room. "I hope they gave you their number as well…" The blonde said jokingly to the dark-haired gunslinger. The blonde shook his head and pulled off his battle attire that he didn't need anymore, tossing them aside, leaving his normal attire back in its wake. He laid back on his bed and rested his hands back behind his head and crossing his legs. The ex-Turk moved slightly in his chair as he watched a few people leave from the bar outside of the window.

The door was thrown open as a young ninja bounded into the room. "Hey guys!" Yuffie screamed as Cloud jumped and fell out of his bed, smacking his face on the floor with a load thump. Vincent had pulled his gun and held it at the ready, but quickly put it away as he recognized who it was. "…Ow…" Cloud muffled into the floorboards, lifting himself up off of the floor as the taste of blood filled his senses. He finally stood himself up as he put a finger to the side of his lip, revealing a crimson liquid positioned unsteadily on top o his index finger.

Yuffie saw the blood and recognition had hit her. "Oh, Cloud! I'm soooooo sorry! I should've knocked!" The ninja apologized as she ran over to inspect what she had caused the blonde to do. Vincent was standing near the blonde and watched with the strangest of feelings in the pit of his stomach. Cloud sighed and waved his hand at the young ninja in dismissal. "Yuffie, I can handle it. I mean, seriously. I haven't died from a busted lip, and I'll be fine…" Cloud explained as the ninja threw him a wet rag from the bathroom. He applied it to his mouth and stared over at the ex-Turk, who had been starring the entire time. "I'll go get Tifa!" Yuffie stated as she ran through the door and jumped to the bottom landing.

"Yuffie! It's not THAT bad…" Cloud yelled after her, but realized it was too late and shook his head in shame. "I swear, that kid has issues…" The blonde said as he sat down on the edge of the bed once again. Vincent nodded and sat back down in the seat that he had been sitting in before the young ninja had caused the entire scene.

The brunette and the young ninja could be heard coming quickly up the stairs. Tifa had seen the rag on the blondes face and the sight turned her a shade paler. "Oh Cloud! What happened?" Tifa worriedly questioned the blonde as she walked quickly over to Cloud. He face became distorted at the sight of blood. "Yuffie, tend the counter, I'll fix him up." Tifa commanded, and with that the ninja left out through the door and back down the stairs disappearing around the stair's bottom landing. Cloud rolled his eyes as Tifa began to probe his lip. "I'll get you a new washcloth, be right back." She said with a smile before disappearing into the bathroom. Cloud looked over at Vincent, who was starring at him somewhat amused. Cloud looked over pitifully at the ex-Turk and mouthed the words 'Help Me', before his sight was clotted up the brunette once again.

"Oh Cloud, I'm going to have to lecture Yuffie about knocking." Tifa said as she wiped the blonde's still bleeding lip off with a new rag. Vincent had stood up and put a clawed hand on Tifa, which had made jump a little, accidentally washing Cloud's eye. "Hey!" Cloud interjected as he pulled the washcloth away from his eye. "I'm sorry." Tifa returned with a smile as she then looked back behind her to the dark-haired gunslinger. "What Vincent?" The brunette asked, turning back around to grab the cloth that was now in Cloud's hands. "Cloud can take care of it." Vincent said bluntly, taking his clawed hand off of Tifa's shoulder and stepping back for the brunette.

Tifa seemed somewhat shocked, but smiled and stood up, still being dwarfed by how tall the ex-Turk was to her. She looked down at her feet, shuffling her shoes a little before nodding. "I guess your right Vincent…" Tifa commented before turning to Cloud and continuing. "…If you need me, you know where to find me." The brunette insisted before she turned back toward the door, and walked over quietly to it. She opened the door slowly and stepped through its frame, nodding to the two of them before finally closing it silently behind her.

Cloud waited until he couldn't hear footsteps before turning to the ex-Turk. "Thank god that's over…" The blonde said, throwing the bloodied rag back into the bathroom, hitting the linoleum floor with a small thump. "You would think that after Sephiroth, they would be used to seeing blood on me…" Cloud stated to himself, with a small shake of his head. Cloud looked over to Vincent, who was standing a few feet away staring at the blonde curiously. "What?" Cloud said as he took notice in the peculiar gaze. It looked like that when…

"Nothing." Vincent answered as he interrupted Cloud's thoughts, stepping over to the blonde and sitting down silently on the other side of the bed's edge. The blonde's gaze was one of those that were curious yet thrilled, somewhat matching up with the gunslinger's own. A light knock could be heard, and they both looked over at the sound before the door swung open and Yuffie jumped into the room. "Come in…" Cloud said with a sarcastic smile as Yuffie hopped onto the bed between the two. Yuffie had noticed his comment and sneered. "Well, at least I knocked!" The young ninja scoffed as she folded her arms across her chest dramatically. "Learning from Vincent's cape again?" Cloud questioned with a sly smirk playing across his slightly pale face. This grabbed both of their attention. Yuffie hadn't understood his comment, and from the looks of it, neither did Vincent. "You don't get it do you?" Cloud questioned with an almost alarmed feature planted on his posture. "I was saying, you were being way too dramatic about what I said before…" Yuffie nodded and a smile was placed back in its normal place. Vincent still had a wondrous gaze, like he actually didn't understand something, which Cloud dismissed since the ex-Turk was so cryptic at times.

"Well, Tifa sent me up here to get you. She said it was important." Yuffie explained with a slight dullness on the edge of her voice. Cloud nodded and got up from the edge of the bed and walked over to where the door was and looked back over to Vincent apologetically. "Yuffie, behave nicely…" The blonde lightly commanded as he walked out of the door, shutting it behind him as he went down the stairs.

"Well I'm bored…" Yuffie sighed as she walked to the door. "…I wonder what Tifa has to say to Cloud? Wait! I could probably guess…" Yuffie continued as she walked out the door to spy on the two, but waited by the door to see what Vincent would do when she left. To her surprise, the dark-haired gunslinger had gotten up and went over to Cloud's dresser and pulled out what he had been given the last time he was here before they left to the Gold Saucer. A smile emerged on Yuffie's face as she watched Vincent disappear into the blonde's bathroom…

Cloud could see that everyone had pretty much cleared out since they had fist walked in, with barely enough room to stand, let alone sit. Tifa was cleaning up tables, and tending to the last customers of the day when he walked in. He strode over silently, sitting on a barstool that was propped up next to the counter, scooting the chair against the floor slightly. Tifa took him as another customer and turned around to see were he or she was sitting. She smiled when she realized it was Cloud, and quickly gathered the last customer's Gil, wishing him a good night, before walking back over to the counter.

"Hey Cloud, I sent Yuffie up to get you. Did she knock?" The brunette asked, giving him one of her signature smiles. Cloud laughed and ran his hand through his blonde spikes. "Yeah, she knocked. She didn't wait to get into the door though…" The blonde said with a small smile. Tifa shook her head and sat beside the blonde on another barstool. "Yuffie…well, she's just Yuffie…" Tifa said, trying to attempt to describe the young ninja and her bad habits. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about Vincent…"

The young ninja crept silently into Cloud's bedroom and tip-toed over to the bathroom door. Waiting to hear the shower come on before she made her move…

"What about him?" Cloud asked the brunette sitting beside him curiously. "I've noticed something new about him…" Tifa explained turning her head and craning her neck to the side. Cloud squinted his mako-blue eyes and urged the brunette to continue. "…Well, I think…umm…" Tifa struggled, trying to find the right words to complete the sentence. Cloud waved his hand forward, wanting her to go forward. "Cloud…" Tifa stressed as she looked directly over into his eyes. "…I think Vincent likes you." The brunette finally got out, getting no reaction out of the blonde sitting beside her. She instantly realized why he hadn't and continued. "…more then a friend." Tifa attempted, still trying to stress her point…

Yuffie creaked the door open slightly and found Vincent's discarded and new clothes lying neatly beside the door. She quickly snatched them and shut the door back quickly behind her again, not once getting noticed. She went over to Cloud's dresser and placed them in the bottom drawer…

"Oh…" Cloud said, having the same accusations of his own toward the dark-haired gunslinger. "Cloud…Do you like him as well?" Tifa questioned, gulping down the last words as she pushed her heart down into her chest. The blonde looked away and thought for a long moment. "Tifa, I think I do…to tell you the truth." Cloud said as he got up from his barstool and walked to the bottom landing of the stairwell. "You've got to confront him about it then…even if he is, well, Vincent." Tifa said getting up as well and grabbing onto Cloud's elbow as if to emphasize the point. The blonde nodded and started up the stairwell…

Yuffie could hear steps and dove underneath Cloud's bed before she was caught. Cloud walked into the room and neither Yuffie nor Vincent was to be seen. Yuffie prayed silently that her plan would work, but for now she silently watched as the blonde went over to his dresser and picked out a pair of boxer's to sleep in, and walked over to the bathroom door, wondering where the two had wandered off to. Without noticing he opened up the bathroom door and closed it softly behind him. This was Yuffie's cue as she ran over and grabbed the chair in the corner of the room and lodged it underneath the doorknob, and snickered to herself as she waited beside the door.

Cloud could suddenly hear running water and realized that someone was in the bathroom. The water shut of quickly, and Cloud turned around quickly and turned the doorknob, but to his surprise it wouldn't budge. Realization hit him as he placed the pieces of the puzzle together. "YUFFIE, YOU GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE OR I'LL KICK YOUR SCRAWNY ASS!!!" Cloud yelled as he started slamming into the door to try to get it to budge. The blonde turned around and found a pale figure step out of the shower…

A/N: Ha! This was such a great cliffhanger! I just had to do it because I'm so evil. You want to know why I put a cliffhanger? It was because people don't review when they want more chapters and I'm forced to be evil. Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter then I planned it, but I reached my quota for the day. Make's you want to read more doesn't it? I bet it does because the next chapter is going to have lots of juicy stuff in it. The next chapter will be major guy on guy action. If you don't like guy on guy stuff, don't flame me because you've been reading this at your own mercy. I love Yuffie, she's the best and I kind of picture her being as mischievous as I am. Trust me, I love messing with people. Yuffie also didn't see anything of Vincent because she's just too young for that kind of stuff. xD.

Cloud: I love this story!!

Yuffie: -snicker-

Vincent: I don't. My clothes are always getting stolen.

Cloud: That's why I love it so much!

Yuffie: You have to love me, because without me, you'd have no story.

Me: I beg to differ…

Yuffie: ZOMG, it's HER!

Vincent and Cloud: -gasp-

The next chapter is going to be based at a 'read at your own risk'. I've rated MA and I'm going to signal a place where you can skip over the more 'intimate' of details. The next chapter will also be my last chapter if I get it right. Also, I really wished people would review this story more because it's the only thing that wants me to write more. Again, I'm sorry for the late update, but that's how the cookie crumbles. Review or I'll be mean and not post the next chapter until the sixth. Lol. Thanks again who have reviewed several times for me and keeps me going. The next chapter is going to be dedicated to all who review. Thanks!