Disclaimer: Kit Thespian does not own Final Fantasy VII or the characters therein. And she is not making any money off of this.

Chapter Six

At last we meet...

Two months after Hojo and Lucrecia's wedding, it was time to start heading for Nibelheim. They would meet the Turk assigned to them in Junon. They weren't even told the Turk's name until they met him. It was a day's journey to Junon, and nighttime when they got there. While the three scientists waited in the elevator to go from the village to the city, Lucrecia leaned her head on Hojo's shoulder in weariness.

Hojo was a night owl, so he was a little more aware of what was going on than Lucrecia. He remembered going to Junon with his grandparents to catch the ferry to Costa Del Sol. Junon was a polluted town, made so by the factories that produced healing potions and liquids that cured ailments and oddities. There were merchants standing in the doorways of their shops, beckoning hopeful customers to come buy their wares. The wares varied from weapons, to accessories, to personal items, and even prostitutes.

Hojo never liked Junon. He couldn't wait to put his back to the place.

The dock was the same as it had always been. Hojo could spy a figure standing by the boat. The shadows of night made it impossible to make out his face, but Hojo could see that he was dressed in the traditional dark blue suit of the Turks. Hojo had heard enough stories about the Turks to cause him to be cautious. He held onto Lucrecia's hand tighter.

They reached him. Lucrecia gasped when she got a good look at his face.

"Vincent?" she said.

The Turk's jaw dropped, "Lucrecia?"

Hojo's eyes darted back and forth between his wife and the Turk. Then something occurred to him. As he looked at Vincent's face, a thought came to his mind. He noticed how wild Vincent's hair was, much like his when he didn't use enough hair gel. The newly formed theory seemed so improbable but as he observed the Turk, he couldn't help but ask.

"Vincent...Valentine?" Hojo spoke.

"Yes..." Vincent raised an eyebrow at him. Hojo set his teeth together, unsure about how he was supposed to respond. He never thought it would be like this. If he had known who the Turk was, he would have been better prepared.

"Vincent, how nice to see you," Lucrecia said, smiling, though Hojo could tell how uneasy she was, "how long has it been?"

"Eight years...I'm surprised you remember me."

"You're my friend, Vincent. How could I forget you? I...didn't know you had joined the Turks."

Vincent shrugged, "It's a living." He looked at Hojo and Gast, "I didn't catch your names..."

Dr. Gast held out his hand for Vincent to shake, "I'm Dr. Gast. I'll be leading this project."

"Nice to meet you," Vincent said flatly, out of pleasantry routine. And he held out his hand to Hojo, "And you?"

Hojo placed his hand in Vincent's and shook it as he said, "Dr. Hojo. I see you know my wife Lucrecia."

Vincent took his hand back in shock and stared at the black-haired scientist. Hojo didn't know what had shocked the Turk more: learning Hojo's identity or finding out that he was married to Lucrecia. Hojo's eyes darted to his boss and spouse. He felt sorry for them at this moment, for they truly had no idea what was really going on here. Vincent's cool exterior was beginning to crack as his eyes averted to the side and he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Vincent obviously wasn't going to make the next move, so Hojo decided to get out of this conversation gracefully, "We should probably go on the boat before it takes off, shouldn't we, Dr. Gast?"

"Of course, all this dawdling..." But Gast looked at Hojo and Vincent suspiciously one more time before he and Vincent started walking towards the boat. Hojo and Lucrecia stayed a few feet behind.

"What was that all about?" Lucrecia whispered to her husband.

"I'll tell you later, in private."

After twenty-five years, Hojo had finally met his half-brother, Vincent Valentine.

Hojo explained the history to Lucrecia later on when they were alone in their room on the ship. He was sitting down. Somehow, standing up for long periods of time on this ship made him feel a little nauseous.

He told her how his father Alban Valentine, a married man, had seduced his mother, who was only seventeen years old at the time. She gave birth to Hojo, and three months after that, Mr. Valentine's wife had a baby named Vincent. Hojo's mother died giving birth to him, but Mrs. Valentine refused to have anything to do with him. Not surprising, but it forced Hojo to grow up with his indifferent, albeit rich, grandparents. He had never met Vincent, but he knew his name.

"Oh, Hojo," Lucrecia was crying, "I'm so ashamed..."

"Why are you ashamed?" Hojo asked, "None of it was your doing."

"I knew Vincent in high school. We dated a couple of times, and he wanted to go further in the relationship, but I said no. I didn't think we were right for each other."

Hojo's brow furrowed, "What do you mean 'go further'?"

Lucrecia winced, "...You know. He was just a teenage boy. I'm sure he's not like that now."

"He's a Turk."

Lucrecia didn't respond. Everyone knew well enough the Turks' reputation.

"Besides," Hojo said, "if he is anything like Alban, I don't want you to have anything to do with him."

"Hojo..."

"Not now, at least. We'll get to know him better. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps he's not as bad as the rest of the Turks. We'll see."

"Hojo, please try to make peace with him. He is your brother."

"Yes, I know..."

"Promise me you'll try to get along with him."

"All right, I'll try, Lucrecia. I'll try."