Chapter Twenty Seven: Crisis

Lucrecia was jolted from a sound sleep into the center of a battle in progress. Something hard slammed into her shoulder and she yelped, her eyes flying open. She bolted into a sitting position, more frightened that hurt, unable to see as her eyes fought to adjust to the darkness. Thin beams of moonlight streamed in through the small dusty window, but with her poor eyesight all she could see at first were shadows. There was nothing interfering with her other senses, however, and she quickly realized what was happening.

Vincent was having another nightmare even as he slept at her side. She heard him cry out in agony, the bed shifting violently as he thrashed about. The comforter had been kicked to the foot of the bed, partially tangled around one of his long legs. The sharp metal claws of his left hand were clutching his pillow so hard that they had dug straight through to the other side. When her vision finally cleared a bit and she dared to inch toward him, she saw the beads of sweat running down his face catch the moonlight. His expression was so pinched with pain and tension she knew she had to end his suffering any way she could.

"Vincent!" she called out to him, careful to avoid his flailing limbs as she tried to move closer. From the way he struck out with his right arm and legs, he seemed to be fighting against an unseen force, and the strangled cries that escaped him were filled with such terror they sent shivers down her spine. In waking hours, nothing seemed to frighten him, her protector against the world of new dangers she'd rejoined. "Vincent, wake up!"

He continued to cry out and thrash about in bed, showing no sign that he heard her or was about to regain consciousness. He was not normally very difficult for her to awaken, and while he often had nightmares she'd been there to chase away, she had never witnessed one as violent as this. She was terrified for him, trying not to imagine what horrible memories he might be experiencing and instead focusing on freeing him from the grip of his own private hell.

"Vincent, it's me! You've got to wake up!"

Unconcerned for her own safety, Lucrecia reached out with both hands to take a hold of his right forearm the next time he swung it in her direction. She was barely able to keep her grip as he fought to free himself, but after several moment he suddenly stopped and dropped his arm onto the bed between them. Encouraged that he had recognized her touch, she released him and moved up against his side on her knees, reaching out and tenderly stroking his cheek. His skin was cold despite the fact that he was sweating, and he was breathing as if he'd just run a long distance.

"It's okay, baby, it's just a dream," she soothed him, trying to keep her voice calm despite the fact that she was shaking and could barely hear a thing over the pounding of her heart. Vincent was still moving his legs as if trying to flee, and his expression remained tight with pain. He continued to voice his misery and terror as she ran her hand through his hair, and Lucrecia began to fear that there was nothing she could do to help him break free.

As she gently smoothed his matted bangs away from his forehead, she gasped as Vincent's red eyes suddenly flew open. He bolted into a sitting position as if he hadn't even seen her, staring straight ahead at the far wall.

"He's going to kill you!" he exclaimed, balling both hand and claw into fists at his sides and breathing in fast ragged gasps. The innards of his ruined pillow fell around him as he jerked his claw free, but he seemed completely unaware of his surroundings.

Lucrecia's heart was in her throat and it took her a moment to recover. He had sat up so abruptly, his voice unusually loud and panicked, that she was immediately even more on edge than she had been seconds before. She'd never seen Vincent in such a state before, and it left her completely unsettled and terrified. But it was obvious that something was very wrong, and he needed her to remain calm so that she could help him get through it. She swallowed hard and gathered her courage, reaching out to take a gentle hold of his upper arm.

"Shhh, it's okay," she told him softly, running one hand up and down his arm as she rested her head against his shoulder. "You were having a nightmare, but you're awake now. Everything's all right."

She glanced up and found that Vincent continued to stare straight forward, his eyes open but unseeing, glowing faintly in the darkness. His breathing remained labored and ragged, as if he was struggling to draw air into his lungs. For a man who usually took each new breath slowly and with such long pauses between them that she often feared he was going to stop all together, it was alarmingly out of place. The sweat continued to pour from his brow and down his bare back, yet his skin remained cold to the touch. Lucrecia had never seen him sweat that way before, especially since he had been altered and his body temperature remained well below the norm. As she leaned against him and ran her hand along his skin, she could feel that he was trembling, and instead of getting better now that he was awake, it was steadily growing worse. Lucrecia's stomach began to twist itself in knots, a feeling of unexplainable dread washing over her.

Vincent remained frozen in place a moment longer, until his head suddenly jerked up as if he'd been struck. She watched as he quickly looked around the room as if seeing it for the first time, and when his crimson eyes briefly met hers they grew wide with unmistakable panic. He roughly shrugged away from her touch and turned his back, and Lucrecia thought she heard him try to hold back a pained sound as he swung his legs over the edge of the mattress. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees, breathing even heavier than before with his hair completely hiding his face from view.

"Vincent… what's wrong?" she asked him, her voice trembling as badly as his body. Even though it was dark and she still hadn't had a moment to reach for her glasses, she could see the tremors running through his lean body. "Baby, it was a nightmare. Come and lay down back down with me, okay?" She was nearly pleading with him, but in the back of her mind she already knew it wasn't going to be that simple this time.

"No…"

Vincent's voice sounded strange, gruff and somehow even deeper than usual. The nightmare had been a horrific one judging by his reaction, however, and Lucrecia knew he must be feeling confused and extremely upset. Still on her knees in the center of the bed, she came up behind him and placed one hand on either of his tense shoulders, gently massaging them for a few minutes before slowly running her hands down his bare back. She hadn't gotten very far before she realized it was far more than the nightmare that was affecting him so deeply.

Oh gods…

Her small hands stopped over his shoulder blades when they came in contact with two hard, sharp bulges that were very out of place on her lover's familiar back, one she had caressed and held on to more times than she could ever hope to count. She tried and failed to stifle the gasp the escaped her lips as her hands froze in place, though she managed not to withdraw her touch. Slowly, she gently ran the tips of her fingers across what she realized were the beginnings of Chaos' enormous leathery wings forming beneath his skin. Gods, did they really burst forth from his body that way? The pain must have been unbearable, and she couldn't bring herself to begin to think about the rest of the changes he went through when he transformed. She swallowed hard to contain her sorrow as she softly began to massage the area around the twin bumps, hoping she might be able to ease his suffering in some small way.

"Don't touch me."

Vincent's tone was so sharp and scolding that Lucrecia instantly withdrew her hands, left staring at his back and the intrusive bulges. He never moved from his position, his breathing even more strained than before and the sweat continuing to run down his pale skin. Tears burned her eyes as she watched him, feeling hurt and helpless. It was clear to her that the nightmare had so upset him that he was struggling to keep control of Chaos, and as usual he was attempting to push her away so she wouldn't witness it. She frowned, frustrated and desperate not to let him go through it alone yet again. They had just had such an amazing night, and he had talked to her… really talked. That he had still had such a violent nightmare right afterwards, when they had fallen asleep so content after making love and spending even more time talking wrapped in each other's arms, left her confused and frightened. But what mattered now was staying by his side whether he wanted her there or not.

Vincent's entire body suddenly went rigid, and he moaned as an intense wave of pain seemed to wash over him. He shuddered violently and seemed unable to move or react for long moments, and Lucrecia heard a low growl emerge when he finally lifted his head. His eyes were focused on the door and he was quickly on his feet, swaying unsteadily as he grabbed his pants from the arm chair in the corner and managed to tug them on over his boxers. Lucrecia scrambled out of bed after him, the concrete floor of the basement cold on her bare feet. She pulled her nightgown closer around her body and finally retrieved her glasses from the nightstand. Vincent doubled over and held his stomach as if being assaulted by an invisible force, his hair falling into his face as he managed to bite back a cry of agony.

"Oh gods! Are you okay?!"

Lucrecia was instantly at his side, shifting in close to allow him to lean on her. He tried to push her away but she stood her ground, taking a firm hold of both of his arms as she stood before him. When he finally straightened and caught his breath, she looked up into his eyes got her first clear look at him. It was then that she finally appreciated just how dire the situation truly was.

With the aid of her glasses, Lucrecia studied her lover and realized that he was locked into a very serious battle with his inner demon, one that had likely begun before he was even awake. His skin had grown a distinct purple-gray, and his eyes were a deeper red and had begun to shine far brighter than the usual soft glow she'd grown used to. She recognized those eyes, ones that had once studied her so closely and tried to decide whether or not she was prey. His expression was harsh, whether from pain or the thoughts that Chaos forced into his mind she did not know. New beads of sweat formed on his face as quickly as they ran down his neck and chest, tracing the lines of the many scars that marred his flesh. Quiet moans of pain escaped him as he stood immobile, his eyes locked with hers. The emotions she saw in them were raw and powerful, nearly a physical presence between them. The shame, the regret… 'I tried to warn you,' he seemed to be saying. 'This is what I am.' He was waiting for rejection, she realized, finally trapped and unable to hide what was happening to him fast enough to vanish into the night. Lucrecia reached up and gently caressed his cheek, running her hand back through his hair and hoping he would not noticed the way it trembled every so slightly. When her fingers brushed past his ear, she found that it ended in a sharp point.

"Oh, baby… Come here."

She held her arms open and stepped forward to embrace him, tears trailing down her cheeks. Vincent's eyes widened and he stared at her as if she had lost her mind, visibly fighting to contain Chaos and glancing nervously at the door every few seconds. Part of her knew she ought to be frightened, but somehow she wasn't. She was nervous, and extremely worried about Vincent, but all of that was buried beneath her love for him. She felt an overwhelming need to care for him, to show him that she accepted him and would always be there no matter what happened. After everything they had been through, and all of the mistakes she had made in the past, she more than owed it to him. And she loved him so deeply that no demon was going to scare her away.

"No! Get away from me!"

Vincent forcefully shoved her away and she stumbled backwards, nearly losing her footing. By the time she banged into the dresser and grabbed a hold of it to keep from falling, he had made it through the door and into the main room of the basement. Lucrecia was stunned but not hurt aside from a slight throbbing in her upper arm, a few more tears escaping her eyes. He had never done anything like that before, always treating her gently and with such reverence it was often embarrassing. She immediately realized that he thought he was protecting her, and her eyes widened in panic. He was going to try to get as far away from her as possible, and that was the last thing she wanted him to do. Vincent had already spent far too much time alone with his pain, and she didn't want to stand by and let it happen again. Why did the past and the demon always have to win? Maybe once, just this once, she could help him emerge victorious. The gods knew he deserved it.

She ran from the bedroom and found that Vincent had dropped to one knee in the middle of the room, gasping for air with his arms wrapped around himself. Despite what had just happened, she went to his side and moved around to kneel in front of him, placing one hand on either side of his face and lifting his head so he was forced to meet her eyes.

His eyes were glazed over and his mouth was open as he struggled to breath past the pain of Chaos' attempts to steal away his body, but the love he had for her was still visible. Lucrecia managed a soft smile, leaning in to gently touch her lips to his. She let her forehead rest against his, hoping the contact would remind him of what they had and the night they had just shared, and show him that she was not afraid, revolted, or about to leave him. He would have to do a lot more than raise his voice a bit and shove her. Lucrecia had been through far worse, and she had promised herself she was never going to be a coward who was too afraid to do the right thing ever again… most especially when it came to him.

"Vincent… it's okay. I just want to help you, baby."

He seemed to accept the comfort, briefly lifting his right hand to rest on her shoulder. He heaved a weary sigh, his arm trembling as it rested heavily against her. But then he quickly removed it, his next moan of pain mixed with a growl that filled her mind with images of the demon who had once come as close to her as her lover now was.

"It's too late," he whispered, struggling to his feet and quickly putting distance between them. "I can't… contain it. Please. You must let me go!"

Lucrecia stood and followed after him, unconvinced and determined not to let him leave. She had never seen him this far into a transformation before and had no idea how close he was to changing completely, but while he looked alarmingly different and was clearly suffering, he was still himself and communicating with her. It couldn't possibly be too late already! Maybe he was overreacting in an effort to protect her, or to keep her from seeing him going through further stages. All she knew was that after everything they had talked about and shared that evening, she was tired of letting him run and suffer alone. And if Chaos managed to emerge, well… he hadn't hurt he last time. Maybe he would remember…? Regardless of what happened, at least she would have kept her promise and remained by Vincent's side.

Fear for her own safety barely registered as she shadowed him across the darkened basement, unable to think of anything but staying by his side. She wished he could feel how completely devoted she was as she watched him limp across the room, his body heaving with each painful breath, wanting nothing more than to hold him and take back everything that had happened to him simply because he loved her when she hadn't deserved it.

"Vincent, please. Don't do this. Don't run off again! Let me try to help you. We can fight him together!"

Vincent turned and studied her with his head cocked to one side, the weariness in his eyes mixed with an unfamiliar predatory desire that sent a shiver down her spine. "No… you've already seen too much…" He dropped back to one knee and cried out as he doubled over, and when Lucrecia went to aid him he held her at arm's length with his claw.

"I don't care what I see!" she shouted at him, tears of frustration streaming down her face. To see him hurting that way and being unable to do anything to help him wounded her to her soul. "Have you listened to a thing I said to you since I've been back, Vincent?! Dammit, I love you, and I just want to be here for you!"

Vincent lifted his head and gave her a long, searching look. As she met his eyes, there was no hint of the demon, only the love he felt for her and an intense sorrow and regret. He stumbled to his feet and she stayed by his side, their eyes still locked. She was stunned when he reached out and slipped his right hand along the side of his face, his palm rough and his fingers sharp with the beginning of claws. She held her breath for a moment and remained completely still as he leaned forward, so close that their noses touched. And then he kissed her, soft and tender, almost apologetic, before he quickly pulled away and turned back towards the door.

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It had been one of the worst nightmares he'd ever had, but the one he'd woken into was even worse. Ever since they'd been reunited, Vincent had dreaded the day he'd finally be unable to hide it… that he'd awaken too late or that Lucrecia would catch him sneaking out in the midst of a transformation, and it had finally happened. It was likely inevitable, but that didn't make it any less horrific.

Most people would have been so focused on the crippling agony caused by an enormous demon attempting to rip free from inside their body that the idea of someone, even the one they loved most, witnessing the process would hardly have registered. Yet for Vincent the fact that Lucrecia was there to see him for exactly the vile monstrosity he was hurt far worse than any of the physical changes forcing him to double over and grip his stomach as if he was slowly being gutted alive. He had developed a certain tolerance for the ordeal by now, but there was only so much pain one could take. He tried not to moan or cry out for her sake, ashamed of each small sound that escaped his lips as he fought to make his way across the small apartment and out into the night.

It was taking far too long. He had been locked deep inside the nightmare, and it had taken Lucrecia's intervention to free him. That had given Chaos a head start in taking over his body and removed any chance he had to try to remove himself from the room, let alone their home, before his lover could witness what was happening to him. He'd remained confused and groggy for precious minutes, giving the demon a further advantage and also allowing Lucrecia to get a good look at him and figure out what was happening. Once she knew, she was intent on helping him, and her presence caused him severe distress. He was ashamed, terrified she would get hurt, and convinced the end of their relationship was near, all while still battling images from his nightmare. His emotional state continued to aid Chaos in his fight to break free, and before Vincent knew it, he was certain the demon was about to win yet again. He needed to get far away as quickly as possible…

But Lucrecia was making it extremely difficult. She didn't want him to leave, even though he knew he looked quite demonic by now, and his condition had to be terrifying to witness. He had made it clear to her that he was not going to be able to control himself much longer, or so he thought. He'd tried to keep her back. He vaguely recalled physically shoving her away from him, something he knew he'd never forgive himself for no matter what the reason, but she'd still continued trying to comfort him. It only added to his distress as he tried to fight the pain, inadvertently weakening his concentration and empowering the demon. He'd have given anything for her not to be there at that moment…

He'd finally made it nearly to the door after allowing himself to kiss his lover one last time. It like a final goodbye, but it was more than he got last time they parted. Vincent had intended to slip into his cloak and boots since he hadn't had time to locate his shirt in the bedroom, then slip out into the night. But after the next bout of crippling pain briefly darkened his vision and nearly stripped away his consciousness, he knew he couldn't risk taking the time. He released his grip on the wall and stood upright, reluctantly leaving them behind. He hated to go out bare-chested, embarrassed and humiliated by the disfiguring scars Hojo had left behind on his body. It was still hard not to be self conscious even with Lucrecia, regardless of her repeated reassurances. It was dark, and hopefully no one would see him anyway. Now was hardly the time to worry about such things…

Chaos' desires had grown so loud inside his mind that it grew increasingly difficult to think. The demon was excited as he focused on the door, sensing that freedom was close at hand and feeding on Vincent's pain and misery. He fought with everything he had to quiet it, still trying to reverse the transformation with every ounce of strength he had left, but he was certain it was too late and his mind was too hopelessly distracted. All he could hope for was to delay it for just long enough to get outside…

"Vincent…"

He grit his teeth, using every bit of self control not to turn toward Lucrecia's voice. Other than those few moments of weakness, he had been trying to forget she was there… trying not to feel her tearful green eyes burning into him as she followed his every painful movement. He didn't want to look at her and see how much he was hurting her. He didn't want to see how disgusted she must be, how terrified she was of him and how he'd let her down one more time. Gods, she'd gone to bed in his arms and woken up next to a demon. How could he ever expect her to accept that? No one should be expected to try to live with someone so horrific. If she hadn't had nightmares before, she would now. He was supposed to protect her. He was supposed to make her feel safe! He was certain she felt really safe at that moment, looking up at the foul creature with whom she shared a bed.

He ignored her and continued toward the door, the pain in his heart almost enough to drown out the burning ache in his back and the way every inch of skin and muscle felt as if it was on fire and on the verge of tearing apart. He bit his lip, allowing newly cut fangs to tear into flesh as he heard her choke off a sob behind him. There had to be a hell to accommodate beings like himself. He was certain she would be gone by the time he returned, hidden somewhere safe, and then perhaps Sephiroth would come and put him out of his misery. At least he and Lucrecia would carry the shared memory of the good part of that night with them forever…

Chaos was already thinking about how it would feel to soar through the cool moonlit night above the harbor, hunting for vulnerable prey. Vincent cursed the demon's obvious joy and felt the familiar brush of dark pleasure against his thoughts, wishing there something he could do to make the foul creature hurt the way it hurt him and those he cared for. As if in response, another sharp bolt of pain tore through him and his knees nearly buckled, but he quickly caught his balance and forced himself to endure it. He tasted blood in his mouth and narrowed his eyes, his vision slowly gaining a reddish tint.

Have to get out of here…

Chaos liked that idea and quieted so Vincent could focus on his movements, and his pain level decreased momentarily. He hardly felt gratitude, however, snarling as he finally made it to the door and reached out to unlock it.

Vincent had been so distracted by the pain, self loathing, and his inner battle that his heightened senses failed him. Lucrecia slipped around in front of him and moved between his body and the door, pressing her back against it and completely blocking his only exit from their basement apartment. He stood stunned, unable to continue ignoring her as he wished, his arm still suspended in mid-reach. He let it drop back to his side as he sighed through his nose, a noise that sounded more like a snort. His eyes dropped to her feet and slowly roamed their way up her body, and he quickly shook his head and frowned when he realized he was not fully in control of his mind and sizing her up as a predator would smaller, weaker prey. He stood only a foot away, towering over her even more than usual, still breathing hard and fighting to clear his head so he could try one more time to reason with her. She was in grave danger, whether she knew it or not, and he needed to do everything he could to protect her… while he still could.

"Please get out of the way," he said, and though he tried to ask politely, his voice came out in a threatening growl. He cleared his throat and tried again, but it did little to change his tone. "I will come back… afterwards."

What a stupid thing to say…

She would be terrified of that promise, not comforted by it! It was so hard to think, and with his escape blocked Chaos became frustrated and angry, the pain beginning to increase again. Vincent moaned and lifted his clawed hand to his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and taking a deep breath. Why did this have to happen… Why, after he had finally decided to talk more openly instead of keeping things carefully tucked away inside. Maybe it had all been a huge mistake... He was no less of a freak, and she still didn't understand that he was dangerous and far too damaged for her to continue putting herself at risk trying to help or somehow rehabilitate. They had been fooling themselves. There was no hope for the damned.

"Why won't you stay and see if we can stop it?" she nearly whispered, making no move to step aside. She looked up and met his eyes, and when he dared allow the contact to linger he was startled to find that she appeared largely unafraid. He knew she was not stupid by any means, but it made no sense for her to be able to stand there so close to him when he looked the way he did and not be utterly terrified. "I don't want you to go, Vincent…"

Didn't want him to go? She was looking into the eyes of a man who was slowly becoming more and more demonic right in front of her, and she didn't want him to go? Vincent blinked and shook his head, finding it harder and harder to speak as Chaos continued to fight for control of his body. The demon had no language, and as it gained more of his body and mind it seemed to rob him of his ability to string his own thoughts together into coherent words and sentences. But she didn't know that, looking up at him expectantly and trying so hard to be brave and supportive. How could she? He had never told her.

"… have to," he finally managed, looking around her as if that would somehow enable him to get through the door. "Look at me..."

He made a vague sweeping gesture across his body, closing his eyes in shame so he wouldn't have to endure the look in her eyes when she obeyed his command. His back began to itch as he felt Chaos' wings struggle to tear through the skin that had been stretched thin. He arched his back against the discomfort, causing the bones of his spine to crack loudly and painfully as his entire body structure began to warp and expand. If that stage of the transformation got very far, there would be nothing anyone could do to reverse it. That had happened when he'd been heavily sedated in Hojo's laboratory right there in Junon Harbor during Avalanche's initial travels together. The sedation he'd been given seemed to have stopped it, but all it had really done was pause it for a time, and then slow it down to an ungodly slow and unbearably painful pace until it ran its course anyway. His current situation felt similar in a way, because he was fighting the transformation so hard that the pain seemed to drag on much longer. Vincent had previously been able to stop the process from the point he was at as he stood before his lover, but not when he was under such duress. He had battled the demon so many times as of late that he was simply exhausted, and he no longer believed he had the strength to reverse what it had already taken of his humanity.

"You don't look that bad, baby," Lucrecia said after quickly looking him over, and Vincent would have laughed if it was something he did even during the best of times. How could she say such a thing…? Yet when he dared look up he saw in her eyes that she meant it somehow. He was so confused he forgot about his desperate need to escape and protect her from himself, unable to do anything but stare at her. "You just need to calm down, and everything will be all right."

It sounded so simple, but in a way she was largely correct. There had been plenty of occasions she knew nothing about where he'd begun to struggle with Chaos, often during the night when the demon most wanted to break free to hunt. Or when he'd drifted off beside her and suffered yet another nightmare. Since she was usually asleep, he's simply slip outside onto the roof or up a tree and remain there until he cleared his mind and fought back hard enough to regain control. Then he'd return to bed as if nothing had happened and hold her until she awoke. But how could he possibly calm down after a nightmare like that, and when his lover was watching him advance through a transformation he seemed unable to stop for the first time and refusing to back away or let him leave? He couldn't, his stress and tension mounting by the second, Chaos feeding on it and growing stronger no matter how hard he fought to contain it. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer, and the time for asking politely had expired.

"Move away from the door," Vincent demanded, his voice cold and rough. Lucrecia's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. He'd never spoken to her that way before, but it wasn't only he in control of his voice and desperate to get out of the suffocating apartment. "Now!"

Lucrecia's lower lip trembled and her skin grew pale, but to his complete shock she refused to move. Their eyes locked, and he knew he was frowning and glaring down into her face. He tried and failed to soften his expression, horrified to hear a low growl rising up from deep within his chest. He briefly closed his eyes, trembling from head to foot with pain and a rising fear that he was about to do something horrible he would be powerless to stop. Even normally, there was a huge size and strength difference between them, and he did not want to think about what the demon would be capable of. If he ever did anything to hurt Lucrecia, he would kill himself the moment he was back in control.

"I'm not afraid of you, Vincent… and I'm not afraid of Chaos."

The moment Lucrecia spoke the creature's name, Vincent froze, eyes widening as brief flashes of a memory passed through his mind. He saw his lover through the demon's eyes, trapped in a corner of the upstairs room as it poked and prodded her, full of predatory curiosity and excitement. The thought of the vile monster anywhere near her so frightened and angered him that he completely lost his concentration, and Chaos was quick to take advantage.

Vincent was struck by an intense wave of agony, so distracted that his knees buckled beneath him and he dropped to the floor. He heard Lucrecia cry out as if from a great distance, his ears ringing as his vision went completely red and then slowly cleared. He pitched forward onto the palms of his hands and hung his head, his hair obscuring his face as he struggled to draw his next breath. His chest felt unbearably tight, as if his insides were being shifted around and forced together in ways they weren't meant to go, and combined with the pain it was nearly impossible to get enough air. His bones ached and his joints felt as if they were being yanked apart, but at that moment the worst of the blinding agony was coming from the two rapidly expanding bulges beneath the skin of his back.

This time, he was unable to hold back the scream that tore free from his lungs. Vincent thought he heard Lucrecia scream, too, but all of his senses were dulled by the overwhelming pain. White hot agony washed over him as two sharp leathery wings ripped free from the tender flesh of his back. He cried out again as the demon's wings spread out above him almost gracefully, then slowly lowered to fall over his body like a demonic blanket.

No. No, no, no. Not here!

Trembling on his hands and knees, his head nearly lowered to the floor, Vincent grit his teeth and fought harder than he ever had to keep the transformation from continuing. By all rights he knew it should have. Once the wings had burst forth from his body, everything else should have quickly followed. But he remained intensely aware of Lucrecia's presence just a few feet away despite the ungodly pain that threatened to send him into unconsciousness and hand his body over to Chaos at any moment. He could feel her, smell her… practically taste her fear. Chaos was enjoying it, and the flashes of his lover seen through the demon's eyes ran through his mind once more, disturbing and confusing as he gasped for air and clawed at the concrete. Vincent snarled, cursing the demon and strengthening his resolve to prevent it from emerging anywhere near Lucrecia.

His hair hanging into his face and his vision tinted red, Vincent shakily lifted his head and followed Lucrecia's bare foot up her body until he finally forced himself to try to meet her eyes. She was crying, one trembling hand held to her chin, and now she looked absolutely terrified. She hadn't moved from her position in front of the door as if frozen in place, and when her eyes locked with his the entire Planet seemed to come to a stop. He looked up at her through his bangs, pleading with her to move aside, to let him go, wheezing with pain and unable to get to his feet. He wanted to shout at her to go, to run, but he couldn't form the words. Yet part of him still wanted her comfort…

Help me, I need you…

He watched in horror as she took one small step away from the door, then another. Chaos flooded his mind with predatory desires and images of bloodshed that nearly made him vomit, but he was unable to speak and warn her to stay away from him. All he could do was look on helplessly as Lucrecia cautiously approached him, barely able to focus as he fought with his entire being to contain the demon and protect her.


((Author's Notes: Getting serious here! This is the first half of the final scene of the fic, actually. Crazy, eh? So there is one more big chapter, and then an epilogue for a total of 30 chapters by ffnet's count. Sorry I was again a bit slow to update. Just the usual combination of my health problems and some writer's block, and the holidays of course! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas if you celebrate as I do, or otherwise enjoyed your holiday season.

- As for the chapter content itself… I worked on it for a long time because it's the climax of the whole story and the first scene idea I ever had the led to the story in the first place, so it was very important to me and I wanted it just so, the way I saw it inside my mind. I did change it a bit from my original concept, though, which always happens to a degree. I hope you enjoyed it and it came through as emotionally charged and tense as I intended. Sorry for the cliffy, but the chapter would have been enormous and taken me another couple weeks to publish otherwise, lol. It would mean a lot to me to know what everyone thinks about this chapter, so even if you've never left a review before, since we're coming to the end, if you could take a few and let me know I'd be forever grateful. Thank you so much!

- No worries about reaching the end of the road, though. I intend to begin my next multi chapter, which continues Vincent's story, along with continuing tale of Junon Harbor and the world as it exists in my AU, pretty much right after I wrap up here. It's called Internal Warfare, and there is a poll in my profile about it. I hope you all will follow me over there, because it's going to be really long and have a ton going on! If you have a favorite character or pairing I write that was not featured much here, your chances of seeing them there are really good, too. Feel free to PM and ask if you like! I'll also consider requests and suggestions, too, because the scope is a lot bigger and I'll be doing a lot of characterization in addition to the main plots.

- And so 2012 is about to come to an end as well. As you may know, I first began writing back in 1998 when Final Fantasy VII was new. I had my own website and was not a part of the community here when it started up. I made an account for the heck of it in 2003, right before I vanished from the fanfiction world. I did not write a single word again for a lot of reasons, until some personal things led me back to it in February of this year. And so I reedited all my old works and published them here for the first time, and got to work on lots of new stuff. I would like to thank every single one of you for the support I have received this past year, from readers both old and new. It's been highly motivating and encouraging, and I have big plans for 2013! So Happy New Year, everyone, and lots of love! ~ JenesisX ))