Chapter 17: Reunion

Aubre Naluri:

I quickly cleaned up and laid in the bed that Mila and I permanently shared. She had outgrown her crib and until we move into our own place. We'd have to make do this way. She whined softly as I disturbed her sleeping form by pulling her close to me as if expecting that man to walk in here any minute and rip her from my arms. He'd gotten a room here tonight… Tifa said he'd been coming here often… and by the way he stared at me all night tonight… there was no coincidence. He'd come here for me.

I didn't get much sleep at all and Mila woke at six in the morning ready to play. She giggled as she bounced on me. She dashed off the bed at such a speed I was sure she'd hit the ground face first, but she landed gracefully. Whatever Hojo injected in her when she was nothing but an embryo was starting to show. She was much stronger than other kids her age and faster. Intellectually, she developed the same and physically she looked like any normal child, but she was definitely different. I stopped taking her to public parks and had already decided I'd home school her when the time came otherwise she'd definitely get noticed.

"Let's go downstairs! I want Tifa's pancakes!" she pulled on my arm and I had no choice but to get up fearing she'd literally rip my arm off. I put on a pair of jean shorts and a green, fitted T-shirt and left her in her pink nightie as we walked out of the room. I kept a firm hold on her hand. "Oww you're squeezing!" she complained loudly.

"Shhh…. Tifa has guests." I said and she pouted and walked quickly beside me. I stopped at the entryway into the restaurant when I heard an exchange of voices.

"You could start today actually I have a couple of local deliveries that need to be done. My usual person hasn't been able to help out recently. I leave for Gongaga this afternoon to restock on inventory." Cloud said. I knew he was talking about me.

"I'll take the offer." The man said. It was him! Now he's taking a job here…

Mila shoved me through the entryway. "Hurry! I'm hungry!" she pushed past me and darted towards the table that Cloud and the man sat at. I was powerless to stop her.

"Mila! Get back here!" I stormed over to her. The man stared at her and I thought I saw a sad expression in his eyes for a moment. Cloud smiled at her and flipped one of her ponytails. I smiled politely at the two men before pulling Mila away.

"Excuse me…" I heard the man say before he rose from the table. I could feel him approaching us from behind. Mila ran ahead of me to Tifa who greeted her and took her into the kitchen. I slowly turned around to face him. I couldn't hold eye contact with him and I'm sure he could see right through to my fear. I was practically shaking. He bowed his head slightly to me before brushing past me. He picked up a cup of steaming coffee off the bar and returned to Cloud. I guess if he wanted to snatch her… he could have right then.

Vincent Valentine:

After finalizing the details with Cloud on the deliveries I would be making today, I set out immediately. I couldn't keep my emotions hidden for too much longer. This power inside me hasn't made me any stronger emotionally… I thought as the tears threatened to fall. Mila was beautiful… Far more perfect than I could have ever expected. I remembered that tiny form I held in my arms back at the manor… I had wanted to take her into my arms so badly and let her know "Daddy's right here…" But another part of me worried for their safety. They were free now, but I was not. Being with them could put the danger I fought to the death to keep away, back into their lives…

Tifa paid me that afternoon and the first thing I did was go out and buy some decent clothes. A few buttoned down shirts and dress pants. Being a Turk for so long, I just couldn't see myself dressing any more casual than this. I tossed the tattered cloak in a garbage can outside the store and carried my bags back to Cissnei's temporary apartment.

"Wow! I barely recognized you. You almost look… normal." She said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes at her.

"I'm going to go back to Seventh Heaven tonight… she's there." I said trying not to sound so melancholy about it. Cissnei was young, but sharp.

"…and? I take it things didn't go as planned… Is she with someone else already?" I shot her a glare at this question. That thought alone was enough to make me want to transform into the beast I hold within and rip apart this whole complex. I had to tell her…

My eye twitched as I answered. "It doesn't seem that way…" I sighed. "She didn't recognize me, and I didn't have the nerve to tell her it was me…"

Cissnei rolled her eyes so dramatically and banged her head against the book she was holding. "Men…" She went back to reading and I proceeded to change clothes, tame all this hair I had grown, and head out. The sun was just now beginning to set. I walked all the way there instead of taking a taxi to try and build my courage on the way. Once I got to the door I was ready!

I scanned the bar, but there was no sight of her tonight. I didn't let that stop me. "Tifa…" I said as I leaned up against the bar. There were only about four or five other people in the place. She looked a little startled. Being a decently attract man most of my life, I wasn't used to scaring people with my appearance…

"Ye..yes, sir?"

"My name is Vincent. Is Aubre around?" Feeling that name leave my lips felt so nostalgic after all this time.

"Aubre?" She looked shocked for a moment and then nodded quickly. "Ye..yeah! I'll run up and get her for you , ok?"

"Actually…" I cut in as I walked over to her. "Could you take me to her? I need to speak with her in private." Tifa stared at me for a while.

"Will you give me a sec to talk to her first? I just want to make sure that's ok with her." She smiled that same friendly smile she always had on when I saw her working in here. I nodded and forced a small one in return.

Aubre Naluri:

I heard a light knock at the door. I rushed to it and opened it. Mila was lying on a pallet on the floor in front of a mini TV I bought us watching cartoons. "Tifa, is something wrong?" She never really came upstairs like this.

She smiled and shook her head no. "There's a man downstairs that asked to speak to you." A chill ran down my spine and I'm sure the color drained from my face. Tifa seemed to notice. "I-I can turn him away if you don't wish to see anyone. He said his name is Vincent." I got light headed. My eyes welled up with tears as I nodded quickly.

"Send him up, please…" I voice shook as I spoke and Tifa just smiled at me as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Mila's father's name is Vincent…"

Tifa looked puzzled at first, but shook her head again with a smile. "I'll tell him to come up." I quickly collected myself and walked down to the end of the hallway by the doors leading to the small balcony outside. The sunset looked gorgeous this evening… Right away I heard footsteps coming down the hall. My heart was beating so hard and fast… My hands were trembling. I needed to sit down… Though I felt his presence coming closer and closer I couldn't turn around…

He cleared his throat to get my attention, but I was frozen.

"Is it…really you?" I whispered. I could tell he was close enough to hear me.

"Turn around." That voice…the strange man… I spun around. He looked different now. His hair was tamed back into a pony tail with no bandana or cloak to hide his face. All I could do was stare at him. "Am I really that unrecognizable?" He said with a smirk before wrapping his good arm around me and pulling me close to him. I cried uncontrollably into his black shirt.

"How come you didn't tell me sooner…" I cried into his chest. I wrapped my arms around him as tight as I could. He was massive now. No wonder I didn't recognize him. He was taller and much more built. He shushed me and kissed the top of my head.

"You didn't recognize me. It made me nervous…." He said with a chuckle. I couldn't believe he was laughing! I pulled away from him and pouted up at him. His smirk then faded. "You were scared of me…"

"Uh yeah! I'm scare of everyone and you were acting so suspiciously! I don't know who to trust… It's been really hard here without you." I crossed my arms and stared up at him. With the tears out of the way now it was lecture time. "Where have you been? What happened to your arm?!"

"To hell and back…but Aubre I'm here now. Hojo is dead. You can stop hiding. I, however, will never be able to stop hiding. That is another reason why I was hesitant… but I thought I should at least give you the choice whether you want to be with me or continue on safely without me." I uncrossed my arms and dove into his again. My choice should be quite obvious… I turned my face up towards his and he kissed me hard. I wondered how he was able to hold back for an entire day and a half… His kiss was so aggressive I had to stop him.

"Sorry…" he smiled down at me.

"Mommy?" We both turned quickly to the little voice behind us. Vincent quickly dropped to his knees in front of her. She took a few steps back looking at his arm. I placed my hand on his shoulder to comfort him. I knew it must have hurt him to watch her turn from him like that.

"Mila… come here. Give him a hug, sweetie and welcome him home. This is your daddy." She looked back and forth between the both of us before reluctantly coming closer.

Vincent Valentine:

I couldn't hold the tears back as my daughter slipped her little arms around my neck. I kissed her round cheek and held her close. "Don't cry, daddy." The little voice said. I could only cry harder as I held onto her.

"I've missed you so much, Mila… You don't remember me, but I was there when you were first born and I've been trying to come home to you ever since." I kissed her cheek again before letting her go and smiling at her. She giggled and took my hand and with a force nearly as great a grown man's she pulled my arm. I looked up at Aubre in surprise.

"Yeah there's that too…" she said and I knew immediately she was referring to Mila's strength. The three of us entered their small suite and I sat down with Mila as she showed me her doll house.

"Is that the only thing you've noticed?" I asked looking over at Aubre relieved I could openly stare at her without feeling like a psychopath. I'd thought about Mila's health from time to time and if the cells that were implanted had affected her any. Aubre was staring at Mila who was busy placing her play people into bed and covering them with their tiny blanket.

"Besides her strength and incredible speed… she seems to be perfectly normal." Perfectly normal…. I still needed to tell Aubre just how far from normal I'd become over the last three years, but then again I didn't want that to change her decision to stay with me.