Authors note: YAY! Chapter 3 is posted. Sorry for taking so long to update, I am up to my ears in stories...but thats ok. So, just like the other pages I don't own then I just like having some fun with them. Read and review, I will love your forever if you do! On with the story!

Clouds Concern

Chapter 3

Cloud stepped into Vincent's scarcely lit room and closed the door. Vincent sat on his bed as Cloud pulled the chair away from the wall over to him.

"Vincent, I need to talk to you." His voice didn't sound very confident.

Vincent sat there looking at Cloud. He had a feeling he knew what this was about.

"I think I made a mistake letting Yuffie pick the teams this time. I have a bad feeling about this mission." He said looking up at Vincent. Mako blue eyes meeting crimson ones.

"Cloud, Tifa and Yuffie will be fine."

"Vince, it's not them I am concerned about." Cloud replied.

Vincent sat there not knowing why he would be concerned with him. He himself had stated on several occasions that Vincent was the strongest of the group and no one should worry about him.

"Cloud, I will be fine. There is no reason to be worried about me." He was confused. What did Cloud think could happen to him? This mission seemed easy enough, provided he didn't have to rescue Yuffie.

"You might lose your mind with those two running around with you. I know you will keep them safe, you always do. It's just…) Cloud dropped his head. Vincent wanted to know why he wouldn't just come out with this. Cloud looked at Vincent's gauntlet then he spoke again.

"I heard what Yuffie asked you while you guys were doing dishes. Sounds like she might have feeling for you and I would hate to see something happen to you. Don't worry though; Yuffie isn't going to say anything about that." Cloud looked up into his red eyes again. Vincent shifted on his bed. He was feeling uncomfortable.

"Cloud, the girls will be just fine. You heard Tifa; I will protect them like always. As for me, please don't worry yourself." Vincent dropped his eyes to the floor. Cloud was the only one he had ever told about his arm.

"There is something about this mission that makes me nervous. Tell me you won't turn that gun of yours on yourself before the mission is done with?" Cloud said chuckling as he stood and replaced the chair back by the door.

"Yea" Vincent replied.

"Night" Cloud said quietly as he walked out of Vincent's room and closed the door.

Vincent waited for the door to close before he let out a sigh. He was going to be stuck with Tifa and Yuffie for three days. What confused him the most is what Cloud said. They were looking for drakes. It wasn't and extremely dangerous mission, sure they were going to have some bumps and bruises but what did he think was going happen. What made Cloud think the girls actually needed protection? Maybe Yuffie did, but he was sure that Tifa didn't. He rubbed his side again. The last time he said she wasn't capable of doing something he took a spinning kick to the rib cage. Its broke 4 ribs and punctured his lung. Chaos, which usually assisted in his healing thought it was extremely funny and didn't give his aid. So, Vincent had to heal on his own. It only took him a week to be fully healed but it was a week he would never forget. Naturally Tifa felt bad afterwards and offered to help him but he refused it saying he deserved it for saying what he did and that he would live with the pain. She did however clean up the blood he was vomiting up on her floor for the first couple of days. So why would Cloud be more concerned with him than Tifa? Yuffie possibly having feelings for him actually scared him more so than the confusion he felt from Cloud. She couldn't have feeling for him. He was older than her and quite frankly couldn't stand being around her sometimes. Although her carefree attitude did tend to make him feel a little more light hearted but he made sure no one else saw it. Did he have feeling for her too?

He finally removed his cloak and his bandana and dropped them on the floor. Normally he would fold them and leave them on the chair Cloud was sitting in but he needed to rest and clear his head. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. He was on the stay behind and baby sit the ship crew with Yuffie while the others went into town for supplies. He couldn't help but think about Yuffie as he drifted off to sleep.

Cloud walked back to his room. He stood in the hall for a minute before he decided to go in. He quietly closed the door and undressed down to his boxers. He yawned as he crawled into bed. He laid there thinking about this mission they were venturing out on. He knew Vincent would protect the girls but he had a bad feeling that by doing that he would get himself injured. He knew that Yuffie thought very highly of Vincent and that's why she wanted Tifa to go along. He had overheard them talking about it after dinner. His thoughts went back to this mission. The person they accepted it from kept staring at Vincent leaning on the wall. He had a bad feeling about it then, but said nothing. It wasn't very often that Vincent could go into a town and not get stared at. That is why he dismissed it. He now had the feeling that maybe they shouldn't have accepted it. Vincent was a nice guy deep down but to everyone he came across cold. When it came to his teammates he would always put himself in harms way to protect them. That's it what he feared about this mission. He felt there was more to it than met the eye. Then again maybe Vincent was right, there was no need to worry they were just looking for drakes. His mind slowed down as he was finally able to sleep.

Yuffie snuggled down in her bed. She was still in shock that Cloud actually let her choose teams. She was glad though. She was tired of teaming with Cid. She always felt left out. She wanted Tifa so she would have someone to talk to about her gunman problem. She thought back to what she asked Vincent and was surprised that he actually answered her. Every time she would look into his beautiful vermillion eyes her heart would skip a beat. She had feelings for him and was glad that he didn't object to the teams. Of course why would he barely acknowledge her as it is. That was another reason why she wanted Tifa. She somehow managed to get Cloud to pay attention to her so maybe she could help her snag Vincent. She nestled farther down in her bed and closed her eyes. She quickly fell asleep with dreams of the stoic gunman running through her head.