Disclaimer: I own no part of Final Fantasy VII. I am not receiving any payment for this story other than self-satisfaction.

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Chapter Four: Alone With You

Vincent Valentine was left alone with Yuffie even after he revealed Reeve already had access to the papers his team found. They didn't seem too upset with him for letting them run around the mansion in search of all the papers. Instead the group laughed because they were foolish to think Reeve wouldn't be prepared. Then they all left Yuffie's side so Vincent could sit next to her in privacy. Even Mr. Kisaragi left them alone. If that wasn't a sign of trust he didn't know what was.

"I think your father is starting to like me too much," he said then looked to Yuffie to see if she responded. Her body remained still even to the sound of his voice. It would be too romantic to think she would wake just because he wanted her to see him.

He picked up her hand so he could rub his human thumb along her skin. It still amazed him how someone so still could feel so warm. Though a part of him believed Yuffie walked around with a fire in her soul able to warm the coldest heart. She managed to do something to him if he were to be completely honest with himself.

The five years of silence she gave all of them hurt a part of his heart he never thought he would touch again. With her silence he figured she was over their friendship. Why contact her if the ever pestering Yuffie wouldn't contact him? Of course, she could easily have felt the same way. Chances were high she thought he didn't want her to talk to him. If he were honest, a part of that was true.

Vincent did not want Yuffie to show him any form of needing him because he only imagined terror in her life if he stepped in. A true princess didn't need the types of drama a dark soul would shed in her bright world. Lucrecia was the perfect example of the misery his love could bring.

He dropped Yuffie's hand and slid away from her as shock hit him from his thoughts comparing his feelings towards Yuffie to his once strong feelings for Lucrecia. The idea of showing such a strong feeling for the woman he barely knew was outrageous.

When he fought alongside her he thought he knew her pretty well. A typical girl with a desire to please herself. She collected what she wanted and stole what she couldn't get with ease. Yuffie liked to laugh and loved her friends with all her heart. She was more beautiful and kind than any person Vincent ever knew.

But the woman in the bed before him was not the girl he thought he knew. Yuffie would not willingly stand with a smile on her face over the people of Wutai as a leader. The girl would not dress in a kimono and wear makeup to please the crowd. Yuffie only did what she wanted and screw everyone else.

Vincent rolled his eyes and shook his head. If he knew anything about his dear friend he knew that thought was a lie. She cared about people with all her heart and even loved her father no matter how crazy the man was. If someone needed something from her she wasn't afraid to act. Yuffie's heart was so much larger than anyone could ever imagine. As he thought about this truth the way she had grown without him watching seemed more and more realistic.

After he moved his chair back to being right next to her he took her hand again. A foreign part of him wanted her to wake up so he could simply see her charming eyes. He hoped seeing his face would take away the darkness he saw dancing through them when they saw her give her presentation for the world. He could not imagine the kind of things she put up with being a princess in such a large, popular area.

"Threats all the time and getting thrown men left and right," he said while he reached up to touch her cheek. "Everything you once ran away from is beginning to take over your life again. Isn't it?"

"It wouldn't be so bad if she had someone with her," Cloud said as he stepped into the room. Most would have expected Tifa to take the steps to get involved with Vincent's current situation. In a way, Cloud could take on the task much easier. Chasing after a woman he could never have was what he had done so many years ago. The only difference was the lack of anything truly blocking Vincent from Yuffie's life. Nothing other than his foggy views of himself.

"True," Vincent said to his friend. It was odd to see Cloud stepping up to the plate in a romantic situation. Well, assuming they were facing a romantic moment.

"Would you be willing to lead a country alongside her?' Cloud asked. "Would you step up to the plate to take hold of your Wutai blood just so you could be with her? Is she worth it?"

"She's worth a lot," Vincent admitted as he smiled with the memories of everything they had gone through. "I dove into complete darkness to save her."

"True, if that doesn't say a lot I don't know what does," Cloud confirmed. He didn't know fully about the situation, but they were able to connect the dots with the bits they were told. "She also saved your life."

"Yeah, how about that?" Vincent said while shaking his head. She thought he was dead but she still pulled him to safety just in case. What a woman. Without a second thought to the matter he rose her knuckles to his lips and placed a gentle kiss along them. "But could you honestly see me standing next to her in such a place?"

Cloud shrugged and walked over to join Vincent by Yuffie's side. He sat in a dark chair on the other side to look directly at Vincent as he spoke.

"I think Wutai would be honored to have two heroes lead their nation," Cloud said giving all his support. "You would handle the more serious matters and Yuffie could take care of the loving matters you wouldn't want to face."

"Are you saying I can't love?' Vincent's eyes glared just as Cloud's eyes carried a joke for Vincent falling into his simple trap.

"Can you love, Mr. Valentine?" Cloud asked leaning forward with a smirk.

"I don't even know if she likes me yet." Vincent leaned on the bed with his metal arm so he could be a bit closer to her as his human hand ran a slow path up and down her arm. Goosebumps rose along her skin where his fingers traced.

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that," Cloud said with a smile as he walked away. "The staff is preparing dinner. Do you want someone to bring you some food so you can stay up here to eat or will you come downstairs to join us?"

Vincent let out a sigh as an answer. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. Ever so close to her lips but not close enough to count. She was going to be awake when he finally got to kiss her. Assuming she let him do it.

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The AVALANCHE team sat around as comfortable as ever while they all ate bowls of vegetable soup provided by the kitchen team working under Godo. Vincent remained quiet as the other spoke together. It wasn't odd for him to simply listen so no one really cared. He smiled when his name was mentioned a couple times, but didn't make any comments. The usual run of the times they got together.

Helicopter wings sounded in the distance from an approaching ride. No one thought much about it because it wasn't rare to hear machines moving in the evening for deliveries. Not to mention they were expecting the delivery of a certain black and white cat.

On cue, a knock sounded at the front door for a servant to answer. Only a short time later Cait Sith skipped into the room with his parachute dragging behind him from his shoulders. In his paws was a business envelope. Most likely it carried all the important information Reeve was able to gather in the investigation of Yuffie's attack. Cait Sith also wore a backpack holding items unseen to the group at the time being.

"Hey there!" he said with a smile none of them were feeling fit the time. "How ya'll doin'?"

"How do you fuckin' think?" Cid asked in a grumbled tone.

"True," the little cat said and shrugged. He held out his envelope of papers towards Godo. "Those are all the things Reeve and his team could find. The suspects we hold to be responsible for Yuffie's hit."

Vincent rolled his eyes at the happy tone to the cat's voice. Their friend was upstairs in some kind of medically induced coma by something they had no current way of fixing. He was being oddly positive through it all.

"The stars on the top left corner symbolizes the likelihood of their involvement," the cat said and jumped onto the chair where Vincent sat. He took off his book bag so he could did around inside while he spoke. "A few suspicious people have already been fired due to other situations, but we were able to toss most of those out because they moved away or were able to find a steady way to get through losing the job. It pleases me to say most of those fired for foolish things such as accidents were provided with money to make it."

Godo twisted his face as he thought back to some of those moments. Little things such as mistakes setting up meetings or causing trouble with honored guests often got a servant a toss out. But he did his best to provide all the hard working employees with something to fall back on. Of course, some of those moments were situations they didn't deserve the boot for, but he had to keep his staff at the absolute best. It was only a matter of time before Yuffie took over and learned that the hard way. A chuckle escaped as he thought back to his beginnings as a clueless leader. His poor father taught him nothing about maintaining a hard working staff.

"None of these faces or names look familiar to the people I spoke with," Cloud admitted. "Everyone look and see if any of these people should be investigated further."

Cloud tossed the provided profiles onto the center table so all could see the pictures of people and read their names. Vincent glanced to the table as Cait Sith placed a vile with a pink potion inside into Vincent's hand.

"This is the ointment Reeve's doctors were able to create to help wake up Yuffie," he said as he placed the vile into Vincent's hand. "Someone needs to sit her up and another pours it down her throat. A simple task with her immobile body."

Vincent once again let a glare show but tossed the hate aside as he took in the images of one servant's picture next to an older man's face.

"Hand me the file for Bethany Jacobs," he said. The name wasn't a very Wutaian style, but that wasn't what captured his interest. The image of the man next to Bethany's picture caught his attention. He looked closer to the man's picture when Cloud handed him the file. Then he tapped the man's face. "This was the man I spoke to. He claimed someone rich shot at Yuffie."

Vincent looked at the man's image and shook his head as he moved his attention to his daughter. It didn't make sense for a man to turn in his own child if they were guilty. The points were connected but very loosely.

"Sir, why did you fire Mr. Jacobs?" Vincent asked skimming the papers.

"He was a head chief and served an entire royal party rotten eggs," Godo said with a sigh. "I didn't want to fire him because he was so excellent. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if he took the fall for the lower, inexperienced cooks. But with so many people harmed by the actions I had to act. I provided him with enough money to get his own place and look for a new job. After those actions it was no longer in my hands."

Vincent gave a heavy look to the daughter's picture. She still remained a servant in the mansion to that day though. In fact, reports often see her alongside Yuffie. A wrongful fire could stir up anger in any child's heart.

"Where is this servant? Bethany?" Vincent asked. He wanted to speak to her and see if anything could be connected.

"Most likely nearby Yuffie since no one else is there," Godo smiled and shook his head to deny Vincent's claim before he could state his belief. "The young girl adores Yuffie. Always takes care of here and their laughter is always heard when they are together. I think you're aiming the wrong way. Why would a father turn in his own daughter?"

"If she needs help," Vincent said. He stood warily. "The best way to attack someone is to work your way into their heart. If you fathered her father without a solid reasoning and he is now living on the streets, how do you think she feels?"

Godo's eyes widened with worry. He never thought a daughter would do something so foolish. Of course, his daughter ran around the world as a teen simply because he told her to do it.

Vincent took the man's worry and his previous words to act. He ran out of the room and up the stairway leading to Yuffie's bedroom. A little distance behind him he could hear the rest of his friends following his action. If Bethany knew they were all gathered for dinner then it would be the perfect time to strike. He ran into Yuffie's room in time to see Bethany pulling a needle out of Yuffie's neck. The needle was stuck under the bandage so evidence wouldn't be noticed easily.

"Get away from her!" Vincent yelled. He charged forward and ran at the young woman. Her tiny body and weak muscles warned Vincent to be gentle so he wouldn't harm her. Well, at least he couldn't harm her more than necessary. He slammed her body against the bedroom's wall with his metal arm holding her pinned. "Why did you do this?!"

"My father didn't deserve to be fired! If I lost my dad then Godo can lose the one he loves!" Bethany yelled even with his arm positioned against her throat. "If he would just give me the money I need to get my father back on his feet then I'll do whatever I can to find a way to wake the princess back up."

"Find a way?" Vincent glared at the girl with even more hatred. "You're telling me you attacked her with this rare drug as a threat to get answers but without all the knowledge to fix the attack?"

"So what?" Bethany rolled her eyes. She knew Godo could get the cure if she wasn't able to get things figured out. The man had enough money. "I imagine you guys got the cure?"

"Yes, but with no help from you I am willing to bet you will be locked up without a chance to help your father," Vincent said and threw her to the ground. Tifa hissed as the girl's body slid harshly against the floor. "You dear, old man provided me with enough evidence to connect the crimes to your hands. We won't hand you over to be arrested because he helped us so much, but we will get you help. I will also work alongside Yuffie to get your father out of the streets."

Bethany looked terrified for a second then dropped her head in defeat. The time alongside Yuffie taught her how caring the young princess was. If she would have simply waited until she became queen maybe she could have found answers for her father a better way. Crazy things people would do for love.

"Get da medicine into our princess!" Cait Sith called as he hopped at Yuffie's feet on the bed.

Vincent held up the vile holding the potion created to heal his dear love. They needed to pour the liquid into her mouth so she could be woken up. He walked over to the bed and sat where he could reach her. The cap popped off with ease by Vincent's metal hand. He held the potion in front of his face as he spoke.

"Time to wake you up, Sleeping Beauty," he said and poured the potion into his mouth. Everyone gasped and yelled his name. His actions made no sense. All the hard work they went through to heal their friend was gone because Vincent apparently lost his mind. If he drank her potion how would they wake her?

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What the hell, Vincent?! Why would he pour the potion into his own mouth? What good is that going to do? If he loved her so much, wouldn't he want to save her? Maybe there's more to this bit of story then? Oh man Vincent! He isn't making any sense. Or is he? What benefit would he find to putting the potion into his mouth? Hmmmm.