WARNING: The following chapter includes Vintif moments and Cloud-bashing action! You asked for it, so here it is!

Aren't I a stinker?

Judas' Kiss

By: Illusion of the Mirror

Darkness had settled over the forest, its icy fingertips threading through the trees and goading the surviving members of the resistance into lighting small fires all around their camp to keep warm. An unsettling breeze rattled pots and pans and caused tents and drying bandages to flap in the wind. The rising moon was full and golden in the cloud-specked sky, its light filtering down through the canopy of leaves in ghostly beams.

Emily Bordeaux sat quietly just outside of one of the rings of firelight, her back against a tree and a heavy woven blanket draped over her slumped shoulders. Night had come quickly, leaving her feeling lost and alone as she listened to the hooting of a nearby owl and the low hum of the comrades standing around the fire.

It was here that Keaton Niles found the young woman and he approached with his usual tenuous manner. "Miss Bordeaux," he began quietly, waiting for her eyes to meet his before squatting down next to her on the earthen floor. "I've no intention to pry, but it seems an odd time to be sitting alone."

Emily sniffed loudly, turning her eyes back to the two boys she had been watching roast hot dogs on over the fire. There was an awkward silence for a few beats. Keaton took a breath and tried again. "I take it no one believed you."

He was met, once again, with silence.

"Your anger is understandable…but I came over to tell you there might be a way to save your little sister."

The glowering red-head cut her eyes to his and lowered her eyebrows as if to say, "I'm listening."

Taking the invitation, Keaton situated himself to a sitting position next to her. "I overheard you talking to your friends." He glanced over at Emily to see if she would object, but she did not, so he continued. "I know why he said what he did…but I also know that if MY little sister had been kidnapped, I wouldn't want to sit around and wait for the higher-ups to do something."

Haltingly, Keaton raised a hand and lightly placed it on Emily's shoulder in a gesture of companionship. She glanced at his long, slender fingers as they twitched at the contact and then met his eyes. "You have a sister?"

Keaton nodded slowly. "Yeah…but I don't get to see her often. She lives with my mother in Costa Del Sol."

"I see."

Clearing his throat and pulling his hand back to himself, Keaton started again, changing the subject. "Um…I know that it's dangerous to attempt a rescue, but, like you said, we don't have time to waste. So I…I've gotten together a group of guys who will go with us to rescue your sister."

That brought Emily out of her purposeful silence. "What?"

The young man fidgeted with his coat sleeve, not meeting Emily's eager gaze. "They're a strong bunch…and they're willing to leave tonight, if that's what you want."

Emily shifted her position until she was looking straight into Keaton's face, her back to the glowing fire. "You mean, you'll help me? You're willing to risk your life to save my sister?"

A nod. "I know you'd do the same for me."

She thought on that a moment. It's true, Emily had always been one to follow her heart and help someone in need. She was grateful to this young man for seeing this. "But why? You don't even know me? How do I know I can trust you?" she asked with nothing but faint hope in her voice.

"You don't," the blonde replied, his brown, glassy eyes reflecting the fire back at her. "But…I know what it's like to be afraid for your sister and I don't want anyone else to feel that pain."

Emily could almost swear she saw a single tear spill from the corner of his eye. Reaching out, she took hold of his hand and cradled it in both of her smaller ones. "Thank you, Keaton. I won't ever forget this."

He blushed and his fingers trembled between hers. "We can leave whenever you're ready."

Emily stood and helped pull her new-found comrade to his feet even though he was a good foot taller than her. "Give me five minutes."

--- O ---

The grinding of Tifa's key as it turned the lock of the back entrance to her house seemed deafening to her ears in the silent twilight. When the deadbolt clicked open, she quickly pushed the door ajar and stepped inside, flipping on the kitchen light as Denzel and Luna squeezed past her. "Well, here we are," she sighed, setting her keys on the counter. "Home, sweet home."

Luna scanned the kitchen, her exhaustion evident on her face. "It's nice," she offered in what Tifa supposed was meant to be a congenial way.

Tifa crossed to the fridge and pulled out two cans of orange soda, Marlene's favorite, and set them on the breakfast table. "Here. There's a bathroom out the doorway and down the hall if you want to wash up. And I think we have some ramen in the cupboard. I'm going upstairs real quick to change and grab some Neosporin and Band-Aids for you guys' cuts."

Denzel nodded his assent and watched Tifa leave the room, her dark hair completely fallen from its hair-tie and swishing as she walked.

He turned to Luna, who was no longer at his side, but had ventured out into the front room and turned on the overhead lights. She fiddled with one of the ceramic fairy statues in Tifa's china hutch. He approached and handed her a can of orange soda. "They're pretty, huh?"

Luna gave a wan smile and picked up one of the delicate figurines. It had creamy skin and green glass wings; a harp rested in the crook of its arm. "Yeah," she mused. "I think I like this one best." She stroked its shiny gold locks.

Denzel popped the tab of his soda and took a sip before leaning his back against the mahogany hutch. "Mm…that one is Marlene's favorite, too."

The young blonde bit her lip and set the fairy back in its respective place. "Oh." She turned around and leaned next to him, opening her own soda. "So she's your sister, right?"

"Sort of," Denzel sighed. "We're both adopted…so it's not a blood thing. But I guess I've always seen her as my little sister."

Luna hummed as she gulped down some soda. "Well, little sisters are pretty awesome." She giggled at Denzel's raised eyebrows and playfully punched his shoulder causing orange fizz to slosh out of the can and onto his shirt.

The girl gasped, mortification etched in her face, but Denzel set his can down and gesticulated dramatically. "How on EARTH am I ever going to get this out?" He stroked his already stained and ripped T-shirt. "This is authentic silk, you know! Very expensive and rare!"

Luna giggled again and mimicked his eccentric accent. "I'm sorry DAH-ling, I shall have my servants wash it immediately."

Both children laughed at their ridiculous expressions and then sat on cross-legged on the floor. "You're alright, Mr. Serious," Luna hummed as she wiped a tear from her eye. "I had you all wrong."

Denzel was about to reply and say that she wasn't entirely wrong about him, when there was a loud thud from upstairs and the crash and tinkle of broken glass. Someone gave a muffled cry and Denzel leapt to his feet, already fearing that something horrible had happened to Tifa.

--- O ---

After climbing the stairs, Tifa had flicked on the hall light before venturing into the bathroom. She ran the tap until it was warm and steaming and splashed her face before scrubbing it down with a soapy rag. Aaaaah…that's the stuff. Fully refreshed and feeling a bit less grimy, she left the bathroom but paused before going any further. Just down the hallway, she could see the open door of the room Denzel and Marlene stayed in. She drew near quietly, as if they were sleeping beyond the threshold.

Peering in, Tifa saw the empty, still-made beds awash in moonlight and felt a rift split through her heart. She ached for Marlene and Shera, who were still somewhere in the evil clutches of Darknation. She ached for Barret and Cid, especially Cid. Shera was nearly nine months pregnant, yet the salty pilot kept so calm…well, as calm as Cid ever was. He must really be broken-up on the inside.

A soft breeze tickled the hairs on her arms and Tifa shivered, rubbing the heat back into her skin. And Barret…he must be so worried about…wait a minute! There's no wind INSIDE the house!

Crossing to the window, Tifa threw back the bowing, cracked curtains and to her horror, the window was wide open, the screen missing. She went rigid, listening for any out-of-place noises. There were crickets outside…an owl…the children talking downstairs…and the familiar scrape of her dresser drawers as they slid open and closed. Someone was in the house.

Tifa was at her bedroom door in a flash, her ear pressed up against the solid wood. Whoever was in there, was now rifling through her closet. Slowly, so as to make no noise, Tifa turned the knob and then steeled herself. From the faint light coming out under the crack beneath the door, she could tell that her bedside lamp was on…she saw a shadow pass in front of the light. Calculating the sound of shuffling feet, Tifa surmised that the intruder was now at her chest of drawers again, their back to her. This was her chance.

Flinging the door open with a bang, Tifa flew into the room, her arm immediately around the throat of the trespasser. They struggled and grunted, knocking a vase of dead daisies off the vanity and it crashed to the floor. The imposter moaned, their air cut off from Tifa's stranglehold, and then brought their elbow back hard into Tifa's gut. Tifa's grip loosened as she tried to regain her breath, but before she could bring her leg up to hold the interloper in place, they wheezed, "Tifa, it's me! Yuffie!"

No sooner than Tifa had relinquished her hold, Denzel and Luna came bursting into the room. Yuffie held up a finger and bent over, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. "Sorry…didn't mean to startle you…thought I was alone…"

The female ninja stood up, her face red from exertion. "I was just here to borrow some clothes, I mean; I've been wearing these for like, ever!" She looked down at the limp folds of fabric around her chest. "But I seem to be lacking in the boob area. Seriously, Tif, I feel like a pre-pubescent boy compared to you!"

Tifa let herself release a hearty laugh and then threw her arms around her friend. "Oh, Yuffie! I've never been so happy to catch you stealing my stuff!"

--- O ---

It had been surprising to Tifa that the Resistance would build their camp so close to Marie's old house, but then again, everything these people did seemed to go back the woman in some way. As they thread their way through the underbrush, Tifa caught glimpses of several fires between the trees. Somewhere in that camp, her friends were waiting for her; Vincent was waiting for her. She felt a horde of butterflies erupt in her chest. At least, I hope they're waiting for me…

Once past the armed guard, the tired group stepped into the camp. There were tents on all sides and all manner of gear strewn about in organized chaos. People bustled to and fro, but all Tifa could see were her friends sitting by the fire opposite her, their bodies silhouetted by the blaze.

"Hey, you guys!" Yuffie called out, waving her arm above her head. With her other hand she adjusted the long-sleeved black turtleneck she had "borrowed" from Marlene's drawer. She had not been happy about that.

All three men, four if you count Nanaki, turned to look at them and Denzel hurried forward to hug his father. Barret embraced the boy tightly, his large hand resting on the boy's head. Luna smiled and then broke away to find her own family.

But all of this was barely noticed by Tifa, whose eyes were immediately captured by Vincent's. She didn't realize that as he slowly rose and approached her, she had completely frozen, her heart hammering behind her ribs.

Even as he stopped inches from her, his gaze never strayed from hers. Seconds ticked by as they both stood completely still except for the quick rise and fall of their chests. And then, suddenly, Vincent's lips were on hers, his warm hand wresting in her hair. Tifa's eyes snapped closed and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her face tilted up to grant him easier access.

This kiss was not like before. It was all emotion and longing, fear and desperation. Tifa abruptly felt as though she would never be complete again unless she was with this man, this man that she loved. Vincent's lips were fervent on hers, but not demanding, as his hand massaged her scalp and Tifa let her fingers trail his cheeks and chin, the other hand twirling the hairs at the nape of his neck. Then, as the need for air between them was great, he pulled away, his arms still about her.

Tifa gazed up into his hooded, crimson eyes, her lips swollen and her cheeks tinged pink.

"Hey, you," she smiled, nudging his nose with her own.

"Hello."

She ran her finger along his perfect jaw line and drank in his scent. His heart was racing in unison with hers, and as his eyes fell closed, his dark lashes feathered out over his cheek. Tifa couldn't think of anything more beautiful on the whole planet. "I missed you," she crooned, leaning into his arms and resting her head on his chest.

Vincent placed his chin protectively atop her head and breathed in the smell of her hair.

"I missed you, too."

--- O ---

Across the camp, someone else was having a reunion of their own. On her way to find her family, Luna Bordeaux had run strait into Cloud.

"Oh, hello, Cloud Strife," she gasped excitedly. "You haven't seen my mom or dad, have you?"

"Uh…" That was all that Cloud had said, his mouth hanging open and his blue eyes wide, but it was definitely not what he was thinking. What the hell is Luna doing here?! Wasn't she kidnapped?!

Looking past the sputtering adult, Luna spotted her query. "Nevermind!" She waved as she skipped off in her parents' direction.

Cloud followed the young girl with his eyes, the young girl who was definitely NOT captured, and in his mind sirens blared. Quick as a flash, the ex-soldier bolted toward the radio tent, finding only one man inside. He asked about the kid that worked for Tifa, but the man didn't even know him. Thoroughly vexed, Cloud set out to find Emily even though he suspected that she was no longer in the camp.

--- O ---

"Shit, I never could get the hang of this." Cid was attempting for the fourth time to roast his stick-skewered marshmallow over the open fire. His three burned rejects had been hastily consumed by Barret, who preferred the dark to the light anyway.

"Well, first of all, you don't actually stick it in the flame," Yuffie instructed, passing her own stick to Barret. "Here, let me show you."

Cid pulled his hand away. "Git yer grabby little hands away," he shouted as the ninja threaded her arms through his in an attempt to win the stick from him. "I can do it myself, dammit!"

Tifa giggled into her fist as the two started to wrestle over the stick, the marshmallow long since fallen off into the fire.

"If you two insist on dueling," Vincent's voice rumbled next to her ear, "then I would suggest a less dangerous arena." His statement was ignored by the two, of course, but Tifa sat up straight, and turned to face him.

Her marshmallow had just finished browning.

Grabbing a graham cracker and square of chocolate, she assembled a s'more and held it out to the man sitting next to her.

"Here."

Vincent raised an eyebrow, but didn't move to take it. "I respectfully decline."

Tifa stuck her lip out in a mock pout. "But…I made it for you." She coquettishly waved the treat beneath his nose. "C'mon…I know you love chocolate."

But the man did not move; he just kept looking into her eyes with that steady gaze of his. Tifa sighed, defeated. "Fine, I'll eat it then. It'll be your fault if I get fat." She raised the gooey confection to her lips, but it was snatched from her grip just as she bit down. She opened her eyes to find Vincent chewing, crumbs stuck to his lips.

"You have an ornery streak, Vincent Valentine," she admonished with a smile. "Who would've thought?"

Vincent had swallowed and was just about to reply when Cloud trotted up to the group, out of breath and frazzled. "We've got a big problem, guys."

Yuffie let go of the stick and turned to him, Cid smiling in triumph behind her. "What's up?"

"I think Emily's gone to Darknation's base."

Tifa, who had by now been filled in on all the happenings of the day, looked over at him. "Alone?"

"Yeah," Cloud answered, running a hand through his hair. "That blonde kid that worked for you gave her a message that said Darknation had her sister."

Tifa glanced to Vincent, who was watching the fire, and then back at Cloud. "But…that's not possible. Luna was with me."

"Exactly, but Em didn't know that."

"Uh-oh," Yuffie groaned as she plopped onto a fallen log.

"Uh-oh is right," Barret replied. "It's some kinda trap fo' sho'."

Cloud's expression was anything but calm. "I know, I told her that before and I made her promise she wouldn't go try any kind of rescue, but now she's gone."

"Shit," Cid intoned. "This is just what we need."

Vincent, who was still staring into the flame before him, shook his head. "Once again, young Miss Bordeaux has thrown caution to the wind and jumped headlong into trouble."

Cloud took a defensive step forward, his dander clearly up. "What exactly is that supposed to mean? It was some sort of trick!"

Vincent stood slowly, kicking a popping ember back into the fire. "Yet she chose to go despite the obvious. It was not an informed decision."

His face red, Cloud pushed past Cid and stalked right up to look into the cool ex-turk's face. "She thought her sister was captured," he spat. "What she did was admirable."

Vincent looked down at the blonde, seemingly disinterested. "But it was also foolish. Now she's become yet another liability to this organization because of her lack of control."

Tifa could see where this was going and was on her feet the moment Cloud came face to face with Vincent. The air was so thick with tension, it seemed hard to breathe.

"Oh, of course!" Cloud shouted, throwing his hands up. "Because none of us can ever be as perfectly emotionless as you! I swear, Valentine, it's like you're not even human!"

Barret stepped forward and placed a large and on the blonde's chest. "Hey, calm down. This ain't Vince's fault, and you know it."

Cloud's eyes flashed as he pushed the hand away. "Like hell! What happened to 'such times call for such risks!?' You're the one who put it in her head that she could take on Darknation all by herself!"

Vincent did not reply, he only blinked and brushed a speck of spit that had flown from the Blonde's mouth onto his face in his rage. Tifa set her jaw and tamed her tongue so as not to say anything that was any more of a catalyst. "That's reaching, Cloud. Emily is smarter than that."

"Yeah, well, apparently not! And now she's off God knows where in all kinds of danger because she doesn't listen to me! How can I protect her if she doesn't stay with me?!"

Something inside Tifa snapped, snapped like a dry rubber band on a hot day. All she could see was red, and this time, she had no intention of stopping herself.

"You really think you know what everyone needs, don't you Cloud?" Her tone was calm, but with a dark edge. She gave a mirthless chuckle. "You still don't get it, do you?"

Cloud blinked as she stepped past Vincent and looked up at him through her drawn brows. "What are you talking about?"

"Emily needs to listen to you because you need to protect her." Tifa held up her fingers and ticked off each statement. "Marlene and Denzel need a more stable family. I needed to move out of Midgar. But you know what, Cloud? You have NO idea what we need! We needed you! We needed you to BE THERE! We needed you to man up and work it out because, newsflash! Families DEPEND ON EACHOTHER!"

By this time, Cloud had assumed a look of complete shock, his wide eyes resembling a deer's who was caught in the headlights of an eighteen-wheeler. But Tifa couldn't stop even if she had wanted to.

"But, no! You left because of some lame ass guilt you felt and left me and the kids alone! You know, it's not even as if you had to do anything butBE there!" Tifa paused, her teeth clenched behind her lips. "But you were busy with some other family. Giving time to other children and forgetting completely about the ones you LEFT BEHIND because of the painful memories they brought to you."

"You could've DIED, Cloud! And we wouldn't have even known! For six months we didn't hear anything and then I lost the kids and the bar and you weren't even THERE! You were taking your sweet time healing in some other family's bed after an accident that almost KILLED YOU!"

She was good and red now, her chest heaving and balled fists at her sides trembling. All the others simply watched as the torrent of words gushed out, the result of over a year of repression. "But whatever, right? You didn't even think about how we felt. You didn't even stop to call or write, did you? No!Because it's all about you and everyone else in this whole world be damned!"

Tifa bit her lip, tears flooding her eyes. She didn't like this part of her, this bitter and hurt side. But she couldn't hold back any longer.

Cloud stood there limply, looking perfectly abased. "I…I'm…" He looked down at his feet. "You deserved better than me…"

Not that damned guilt, you sorry son of a bitch! Before it even registered in her mind, Tifa's right fist flew up from her side and collided with Cloud's face with a sickening crunch. The blonde stumbled backward into the arms of a waiting Cid, blood trickling down over his lips.

"You're right," Tifa replied as he wiped at his broken nose. "We do deserve better."

And with that, Tifa marched away, leaving Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Vincent, and a very stunned Cloud in her wake.

That had felt sinfully good.

--- O ---

Emily Bordeaux sat silently in the passenger seat of a black van; the men Keaton had brought were tucked in back while the young man drove. It was a crisp, cool night, but the moon was bright enough that they wouldn't need flashlights to break in. That was good.

They were close now, very close. Up ahead, Emily could see the turnoff for the drive that led to Darknation's lair. She had already advised Keaton to hide the van in the brush across the road. She was just about to tell him the location of the alternate entrance she and the others had found earlier that day, when the van turned left, instead of right, taking them down the gravel drive.

"Wait," Emily whispered to Keaton's determined profile. "You were supposed to park back there."

The young blonde ignored her, his determined gaze set on the road illuminated in his headlights.

"Hey, I'm trying to tell you that you're going the wrong way!"

The van slowed down to a halt and idled for a moment or two before Keaton shut the engine off and pulled the key from the ignition, all the while looking straight forward.

Fear laced into Emily's words. "What…what are you doing? Why are we stopped?"

Keaton opened the door and climbed out.

Emily turned to look at the men in the back. They were just as confused and frightened as she was. "Perhaps, we should get out too." The smallest of the six of them finally said. Emily nodded and all of them climbed out of the vehicle.

At first, all Emily could see were the dark trees lining the avenue and Keaton's solitary form standing completely straight in the middle of the road. She approached him with purpose, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Keaton…what are you…"

And that's when she saw them: darkly cloaked figures coming out of the woods on all sides of them, weapons in their hands. It had all been a trap, after all.

Emily spun frantically around as the nightmarish shapes closed in and watched as her men dropped their weapons and raised their hands in surrender. Keaton, however, did not raise his hands. "Keaton," Emily began, her voice small. "Please…"

Then a figure robed in white came into view, the ghostly folds of his cloak practically glowing in the moonlight. He stopped only a yard from her and Emily could feel the scrutiny of his gaze as he looked her over. Emily had heard enough from the survivors of Darknation's torture to know who this was: Kale, the leader of Darknation. Hate and fear bubbled beneath the surface of her skin.

Kale eyed the six men who were now lined up behind Emily, their hands on their heads. He flicked his wrist in their direction and in a gravelly voice said, "Dispose of them."

Shots rang out as the men were gunned down right there in the woods, their blood spattering the ever-watching trees. Emily turned away, tears burning behind her eyes. All she could was whisper a prayer on their behalf.

The white-robed man then turned to Keaton, stepping close to the young man, his hands laced behind his back. "Excellent work, Niles."

Keaton smiled, but didn't look up, his feet squared and back straight as though he were standing at parade rest.

"Thank you…Uncle."

--- O ---

Well now, how do you like that!? Two updates in 24 hours? Unheard of! Well, not for me, apparently. Lady Inspiration has struck, and when she beckons, you heed the call lest some unhappy fortune befall you!

Anyway, thank you to all those lovely readers who have ALREADY reviewed! All I can say is wow! I'm so close to hitting 200 reviews that I can taste it, so keep 'em coming!

So! I opted for some delicious VinTif moments in this chapter, trying to go back to some semblance of what the beginning of this story was like (as per request ^^). The fight with Cloud was also a treat, no? Ah, it felt like it was a long time coming. I must say, this chapter was a complete joy to write!

Shout out to my readers from FRANCE, INDONESIA, and GREECE! I'm totally international!

Thank you again to my beta, Kimmit the Ferg, for all your hard work and for letting me talk your ears off about what I'm working on and doing next.

And a great big hug of thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, faved, and subscribed for this story! It's been a real gas!

So, until next time (which will hopefully be soon), Arrivederci!

Fight the Power!

-- Illusion of the Mirror --

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