Upped the rating to T for the strong future potential of naughty language and the brief suggestion of adult themes in this chapter that may or may not become a regular thing. Consider yourself warned and find a longer author's note at the end if you're interested.

Yuffie hacked viciously at a low lying tree branch, "This sucks."

Vincent did not reply, even if he silently agreed with her. Reeve had sent them to Mideel to track some Deepground soldiers that had been spotted in the area. At first, Vincent had thought nothing of it. Reeve often enjoyed games and pranks, but he was not one to usually play around with the safety of the people he wanted to help. After three days without any proof of what was reported, Vincent had contacted Reeve to follow up.

"Hmm... I don't know. My sources seemed fairly certain something was going on. Until the truth is revealed, I want you in the area. I'm sure you could find something to talk about with Yuffie while you wait."

His orders seemed normal enough, but Vincent was able to read between the lines when someone was trying to hide something. Reeve did not even bother to be subtle. Somehow, Reeve knew what he had told Tifa in the bar. Until he told Yuffie the truth, they would be forced to stay in Mideel chasing imaginary soldiers.

Outwardly, Vincent had maintained his calm, but inside he was seething. The feelings were his and the choices he made about those feelings should equally be his. Neither Reeve nor Tifa had any right to make that decision for him. It made him want to be stubborn and refuse to say a word. He was sure he could outmaneuver Reeve in a waiting game. If it would not have inconvenienced Yuffie, he would have waited weeks just to spite the meddling pair.

"I have a theory." Yuffie said suddenly. She glanced over her shoulder at Vincent, "Wanna hear my theory?"

Vincent did not respond. He knew she would be able to pick up on the traces of anger and frustration that would inevitably be in his tone. She would then dig until she knew the source of his unease, putting him exactly where he did not want to be. Yuffie usually put her own interpretation on his silences if he let her. He was not disappointed this time, "Of course you do. There's nothing here... and that's my theory! This isn't a real mission. In fact, if I'm wrong... which I'm not because this is the most bogus trip ever... but if I am, I'll eat my favorite old sneakers!"

When he only responded with a blank stare, she said, "The orange ones I wore while we chased Sephiroth? Remember? They were awesome and drove my dad up the wall for some reason. They were just never the same after we went down into the crater though, so I retired them. If we find Deepground soldiers here, I will unretire them and turn them into a tasty snack."

Vincent chuckled quietly, "I was just thinking similar thoughts."

Yuffie turned, eyes going wide, "You were thinking about my old shoes? Weeeeirdo."

He opened his mouth to correct her with a short scathing comment, but when he caught the teasing glint in her eyes he gave her a tiny smile instead, "I find I cannot help but be a 'weirdo' around you. Still, it brought me to a similar line of thought. There is something false about all of this."

"I just don't get why Reeve's picking on me!" Yuffie cried. They had come to a clearing in the trees and Yuffie thrust the machete she had been using into the ground, point first, "I mean, I've been trying to be better, you know? More professional. I'm not a kid anymore and I should start acting like it, but I know I didn't do anything to deserve this!"

"Perhaps it is my fault." Vincent murmured. He waited for Yuffie to turn and ask him what he meant, but she only laughed and pulled her pack off her shoulders.

"Yeah right... you never do anything wrong. You're the best operative Reeve could ask for!" Yuffie pulled a couple of candy bars out of her pack, "Want one?"

Vincent shook his head and Yuffie dropped one of the chocolate bars back into her bag. She sat down on a nearby fallen log and set the pack beside it, "I've still got more theory. This is Tifa's fault!"

It was a strange thing to hear his own thoughts in her voice. He crossed his arms across his chest and waited for Yuffie to elaborate. She did without his asking, "She thought I was seriously mad at you at the bar. Tifa has no sense of humor... or adventure anymore for that matter, but that's beside the point! She probably waited for you to finish your drink and leave and then immediately called Reeve."

She dropped her voice into a mocking rendition of Tifa's, "Oh Reeve! If I don't meddle at least twice a day in someone's life my boobs will explode and take out an entire city block! Vincent and Yuffie had a fight, so if you put them on a mission to work out their unresolved differences they'll be friends again and I'll get both my meddles in for the day! The girls and the city will be safe until tomorrow. Luckily, Cloud is here for a while, so I'll get all the meddling I need while Yuffie and Vincent are gone."

Vincent snorted in amusement making Yuffie jump up, "Wait a second... did you just laugh? Did I actually make you laugh!?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Vincent said, forcing his voice into a neutral tone.

"Nice try, mister." Yuffie grinned and came to stand in front of him. She poked him hard in the chest, "Don't deny me my victory."

With a long suffering sigh, Vincent admitted his guilt, "Very well, but you cannot tell a soul."

"Wouldn't want your image to be tarnished." Yuffie agreed, popping a small piece of chocolate into her mouth, "Smiling, laughing, talking more than you absolutely have to... if word got out, Cid would have you singing karaoke with him some night at the bar."

The thought made Vincent noticeably shudder, which set Yuffie off into a round of giggles. When she regained control of herself, she said, "For what it's worth, I'm glad that you're coming around after all this time. We like having you around, Vince. I get the tragic past thing- who in our group doesn't have one- but there's also a bright, shiny future to look forward to."

Vincent was not sure what to say. He could recall the day they first fought Sephiroth, when Cloud had remarked on how he had seemed cold and uncaring. He had never intended to behave that way, but after thirty years with only his mind for company, he had forgotten how to interact with people. He had done nothing to change that, but just being with his teammates had started to thaw him. If Yuffie viewed it as a positive thing, then he was glad for it.

"So, about what happened at the bar." Yuffie continued. She fidgeted awkwardly with the chocolate bar for a moment before shoving it into her pocket, "I was explaining to Tifa why I kept staring at you after you got back. I didn't mean to, you know... I just didn't know how to thank you for what you had done."

"Yuffie-"

"Upbupbup!" Yuffie interrupted him, "Let me finish, or I'll never get it out! You didn't just save my life, Vincent, you saved me from a fate worse than death. I'm pretty sure that Nero's darkness was one of those things that's worse than dying... right up there with what Hojo did to you and Cloud and hell, even Sephiroth!"

She reached out and grabbed his hands, "I owe you more than I could possibly repay."

Vincent's eyes softened as he looked at her. She was no longer a girl, stealing materia in a misguided attempt to save her homeland. Her face was so honest and open. He wanted to tell her everything, "I could not imagine a world without you."

A blush stole over her cheeks and she looked away shyly. She quickly forced her eyes back up to meet him, as if she had just realized something. Her expression changed from soft and feminine to calculating. Suddenly, Yuffie lunged at him, pushing him onto his back. She pressed herself against him, face only inches from his. He could practically taste the chocolate on her lips, they were so close. His eyes widened as they met hers. When her hips moved against his, his brain nearly shut down.

Just as quickly as it began, Yuffie was off him and running. He saw her swipe her oversized shuriken off the top of her bag as she chased a dark figure into the trees. A Deepground soldier.

As he climbed to his feet, Vincent heard Yuffie's cry of triumph. His keen eyes spotted a bullet hole in a tree in front of him. He had been so preoccupied with Yuffie that he had missed the threat. He could not even remember hearing the sound of a gun firing. He pulled out his cellphone and dialed Reeve's number.

"This is Reeve."

"Vincent."

"Good to hear from you! How's the mission?"

Vincent smirked as Yuffie prodded the enemy into the clearing with the point of her shuriken. She had tied his feet and hands with some thin cord he knew she kept in her pocket, "Completed. We have located and neutralized the Deepground operative."

Yuffie tapped the captive on top of the shoulder so he would kneel at Vincent's feet. With a grin, she snatched Vincent's phone, "I even left him his tongue this time so you could question him."

It was a ploy to unsettle the captive and from the brief flash of fear Vincent had seen, it was working well. The man was nowhere near the Tsviets in regards to skill or training. If he had any secrets, he would give them up quickly. Yuffie gave Vincent a sly smile, "Why do you sound so surprised boss? "

He could hear Reeve quickly attempt to cover up his involvement in this charade. Vincent was certain that finding the Soldier had been a happy accident. If he was being honest, it was lucky they were in the area. Any remnants of Deepground in the area that were trying to regroup would need to be taken care of. It did not make their set up and his almost confession any easier to deal with.

"Just get an extraction team down here pronto!" Yuffie said, scowling at the phone, "After three days here, I want a shower and a real meal."

Vincent used the materia in his arm guard to cast sleep on the soldier. The man immediately slumped to the ground. Yuffie closed his phone and tossed it to him, "Our fearless leader is thrilled. He said there was hidden, unfinished reactor near Mideel and that he had suspected Deepground of trying to 're-purpose it for nefarious deeds.' Who talks like that? Oh well, maybe we were being a little paranoid."

"It would appear so."

In some ways, Vincent was relieved. Yuffie was willing to accept Reeve's explanation of events and seemed to forget the train of thought they had been exploring. What had seemed right a few minutes before now seemed rushed and unnecessary. Some part of him knew he was being a coward, but there were too many reason that he should never speak of his feelings to Yuffie. It would be better that way.

When he finished putting his cell phone back into its holder on his belt, he realized that Yuffie was watching him thoughtfully.

"Y'know Vince, under all that cloth and leather you're kinda studly." She grinned up at him, closing the distance between them again. Her fingers walked up his chest playfully, "I didn't expect you to be so solid when I hit you."

Vincent eyebrows arched in surprise. Yuffie had never suggested any interest in him before. Suddenly, all the rational reasons for not pursuing her seemed unimportant... at least until she began to laugh at him.

"Laughing and blushing in one day? I almost don't believe it!" She danced away from him to pick up her supplies.

He realized his cheeks did feel flushed. Vincent scowled and resettled his cloak collar over his face. He could not believe she had noticed so many details about him. Her comments were so casual that he found himself having a hard time believing the sincerity of them. She was merely teasing him and having a laugh at his expense. His emotions bounced back and forth in a way that they had not in almost forty years. It was humiliating.

"Come on, Stud Muffin." Yuffie gestured to the soldier at his feet, "Since you're more muscly than I realized, you can cart his sleeping butt back to the extraction point."

When he looked into her smug, teasing face, an idea came upon him. Two could play at her game. He began to undo the buckles of his cloak. Yuffie's eyes went wide, "W-What are you doing!?"

"Removing my cloak." Vincent said plainly, "It will be easier to transport him without it."

Yuffie's mouth dropped open. Calmly, Vincent folded the tattered red cloth and held it out to her, "Would you mind?"

She accepted the bundle as if it were something sacred. Her expression was a little awed as she turned her eyes back to him. He gave her a small smile, "Shall we?"

"Oh! Uh... right." A nervous giggle bubbled out of her, "Sorry, Vincent. I just don't think I've ever seen you without it!"

"I suppose it really isn't practical anymore. Perhaps I'll stop wearing it." Vincent reached down and lifted their sleeping captive over his shoulder, "Where are we being extracted?"

Yuffie was looking down at his cloak again, "Back where we were dropped off."

Vincent started to walk in the direction she had indicated. He was glad she was following him, unable to see his face. He could not hide the smug smirk on his lips. He had managed to unsettle her just as much as she had unsettled him. She stared at him as if he had stripped off much more than his cloak. Perhaps he was not alone in his feelings after all. Could it be she thought of him as more than a teammate and coworker?

"Our battlefield is now beneath the earth..."

Vincent spun around, but Yuffie was nowhere to be seen. When she wanted to be, she was exceptionally fast.

"The gate to tomorrow is not the light of heaven," Vincent turned back around to see Yuffie standing in the path ahead of him, his cloak wrapped around her tiny frame, "...but the darkness of the depths of the earth."

The cloak looked ridiculous on her. The collar slipped drunkenly off of one side of her shoulder and the bulk of the fabric pooled on the ground at her feet. She did her best to strike a stoic pose as she quoted him word for word from the day they had battled Sephiroth.

Perhaps she thought of him as nothing more than a joke.

A/N: At long last, our story can continue.

This has been an interesting experience for me. I wrote the original story as a one shot that I had never intended to continue. It got such positive reviews that I wondered if there was more to be written. I immediately sat down to come up with the next part and instead found myself banging my head against a brick wall. No matter what I tried, I could not find a way to continue the story in a way I liked. It has taken me this long to realize that I was reaching too far. I jumped to what will be the end of this story and tried to make that part two. I see now that there needs to be more of a journey.

I'm going to up the rating for now because I'm not quite sure where I'm going to take this from here. I imagine there will be some sections that won't be appropriate for the kiddies. Nothing graphic, but some suggestive bits. Better to be safe at this point.

Don't worry, Tifa's not quite off the hook yet. While personally I don't find the Cloti pairing appealing, you can't deny that it's there. I feel like they tend to bring out the worst in each other, but I think there may be other aspects worth exploring. I look forward to the challenge and I hope you'll bear with me while I poke around their relationship. I can't say where they'll end up, but considering this story was not ever supposed to have a second chapter I think you'll enjoy the ride.