Hot Shot's girl: Well I'm off the Shelke pov. Now this story starts getting angsty. Enjoy :)
Vincent awoke early dawn the next morning. He smiled seeing Shelke still in his arms. He knew he had to leave, but he didn't want to. He wanted to stay with her now—but—he knew his duties.
He let go of Shelke. Careful not to wake her. Once he let go and sat up he saw she had given off a sigh while turning on her side away from him.
He let out a smile and soon got back to the matter at hand—getting dressed. Once he was fully clothed he looked at Shelke who softly slumbered in his bed. He often wondered if he'd ever see her again. You could never tell with battle.
He hoped he would—but—for now she'd just have to wait. Soon enough he'd come back to her and love her. She made him whole she did. Oh there was no other like Shelke on that planet.
He gave off a light sigh as he took his left hand and pulled her tussled hair out of her face. There she was—his Shelke. He gave off a hidden smile and just sighed again. His ruby eyes gazing down on her with such softness.
"I wish I could leave someone to you to protect you . . . just in case . . . anything were to happen," he said knowing she couldn't hear him seeing how she was still deep in slumber.
He then leaned down and kissed her on the lips one last time before biding her farewell. He straightened and took a step backwards saying—
"I love you Shelke."
At that he turned and left the cottage. Their home. The Valentine home.
Shelke had slept for quite a while after he left. By the time she woke up it was about 1 in the afternoon. She saw Vincent was gone and so sighed. She sat up and just let her mind wander off.
She reflected on things such as Vincent—what he's doing right now, what place he's in, what he's surrounded by—whether it be death or life. She couldn't help but smile as she thought about 'last night'. She cast her eyes upward only thinking of the feelings she emitted yesterday. Oh what a night for love.
Now she couldn't wait until Vincent returned to do it again. She enjoyed it quite a bit. She wondered if he enjoyed it as well. It was both their first times and so they wouldn't be able to tell if anyone was 'better' than anyone else—hm, that was a good thing.
She decided to rest a bit and then after she was well rested she got up and got dressed. She also decided to walk to the city og Edge and perhaps see Tifa. Tifa most of the time goes on their missions, but sometimes doesn't. If she wasn't there then she wasn't there—Shelke could use a walk.
Shelke went into the city and found Tifa was in fact there. Shelke smiled as she came up to her.
"Hello Tifa," she said with her still monotone voice.
Tifa was on the phone. Something Shelke hadn't noticed seeing how Tifa's hair covered the phone. Tifa turned quickly to her and the look on her face was one of the saddest Shelke had seen in months.
Tifa didn't have to say a word to let Shelke know something was wrong. Tifa covered her mouth and tried to stop the tears that were building up. Shelke took a step backwards seeing this.
"What?" asked Tifa on the phone. "Yeah . . . she's right here Cloud! . . . alright."
At that Tifa hung up and looked sadly at Shelke. Shelke saw how hard it was for her to spit the words out. Tifa came closer to her and just as she opened her mouth Shelke held out her hand casting her eyes down saying—
"Wait! . . . please don't say anything . . . it'd be better if you didn't."
"Shelke," gasped Tifa with a small cry.
"Don't . . . just don't say anything!" cried Shelke as she turned and ran quickly out of the bar.
"Shelke!" called Tifa trying to get her to stop but it was too late, she was gone.
Shelke ran far away from Midgar. She ran half way near her cottage but that was not where she was heading. She eventually made it to the their place under the tree where collapsed and tried to control her emotions. Her tears were falling down her numb cheeks and Shelke couldn't even get them to stop.
"S-stop!" she said touching them. "I command you to stop."
At that she bowed her head and just curled up into a ball. Vincent . . . .She knew this was eventually going to happen. Had she jinxed it? Perhaps if she wouldn't have mentioned it then—oh why take her Vincent away from her?
Shelke had stayed there till night came. It was then she saw in the sky that they had returned. She inhaled and stood up weakly. She knew she had to be strong and go back to the city of Edge.
She walked all the way back to the city. It took her a while to get there, but once she had she found all were waiting for her. Barret and Cid were outside the bar and saw her coming. They came up to her and took her with them into the bar.
Shelke held her head up high not wanting to be weak or even seem it. But in fact she was just a sad and scared little girl. Everyone was silent. She scanned around seeing all accounted for—expect Vincent.
"Vincent Valentine . . . he accompanied you did he not?" she asked as she looked at the leader—Cloud.
"Shelke," he said his voice low at first as he took a step toward her.
Shelke wanted to back away but she didn't. She just cast her eyes down for a moment and then fought with herself to bring them back up. She even fought back the tears that would soon be coming.
Shelke looked over to see Tifa placing her fingers on her lips and just closing her eyes—probably trying to shut out reality. Yuffie was doing something similar. She looked confused and angered. Shelke knew she was going to find out why soon.
"Vincent he," started Cloud.
"Where is Vincent Valentine?" asked Shelke more firmly tired of not knowing the hard truth.
"Gone," said Cloud.
At that Shelke was stabbed in the heart. Her throat tightened up to where she almost couldn't breath. She could not feel her tears begin to come though they did not fall down her cheeks yet.
"He was shot down," said Cloud. "He looked okay when he fell but then—after the battle was over—he was nowhere to be found."
At that a visible tear fell down Shelke's emotionless face.
"Shelke we searched for him, but no one has seen him," said Cloud taking another step forward.
"Did he . . . did he land in the wrong location?" asked Shelke casting her face away.
"Hm, does he ever not?" asked Cloud placing his fists on his hips.
"I should have been there . . . to . . . to guide him to the right location, but I—" started Shelke.
"Shelke this is not your fault!" said Tifa jumping in. "Your job isn't to keep track of all the soldiers."
"But it is," said Shelke looking at her with emotionless eyes, no tears visible. "If I don't then who will?"
"Shelke!" said Yuffie catching her attention. "He would have been okay if it wasn't for those deepground guys knocking him out!"
All turned to Yuffie. Yuffie had soon noticed what she said and so covered her mouth. She backed away and cast her eyes down saying—
"Uh—sorry."
"What she means Shelke is that when Vincent was last seen two deepground soldiers came up behind him and electrocuted him. He went down shortly after and hasn't been seen since," said Cloud casting his eyes down for a split second.
"But don't worry 'cause he's Vincent Valentine!" said Yuffie with a smile trying to be optimistic. "He can get out of anything."
"But what if he's dead Yuffie?" asked Tifa. "You can't get out of death."
"Hey if Sephiroth can do it then why can't our Vincent?" asked Yuffie still her optimistic self.
All then silenced as Reeve walked in. All eyes were on him now, but the look on his face wasn't welcoming neither. He took a glance at Shelke and saw the ache for happiness and good news in her eyes, but he just sighed and looked away.
"Well?" asked Cid.
Reeve shook his head to and fro. He looked at the gang and said—
"We did a whole sweep of the battlefield. Vincent was—nowhere to be found. Either he's dead or has been captured."
"Why would deepground want Vincent?" asked Yuffie taking a step forward to Reeve.
"Your guess is as good as mine," said Reeve. "But if he is he'll probably spend the rest of his life in a tube if we don't find him."
"Well do you have people searching now?" asked Cid.
"Yes but with Deepground—it could take a long time before we even find the first clue as to where he is. We may never find him at all—it might just be up to him to escape wherever he is," said Reeve bowing his head a bit.
His eyes glanced at Shelke who had cast her eyes down in sadness. They were so heavy with it and darkness consumed them. He wished he could have told her something good about her husband. He just inhaled and straightened saying—
"If I have find anything you'll be hearing from me, good-bye," he said turning and leaving.
The bar could never have been more silent as Reeve left. Shelke just gazed at the door and then cast her eyes down. She wished Vincent would already make his surprise appearance but if he were going to—he would have done it already.
She remembered the last time he vanished like this it had been a week or two before they found him again. This was different though—at least she hoped not. She dropped her shoulders and all could see she was sad. She almost jumped as she felt herself be embraced by Tifa who held her close.
Shelke did nothing but gaze into darkness. Once she closed her eyes and opened them again a tears ran down each of her eyes. She had some clod sadness she did. It was so hard for her to express emotion but with all that had been happening—she had been learning each one at a time.
This one—was sadness.