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Vincent Comes Home	By : sailtheplains Category: Final Fantasy VII > Het - Male/Female Views: 1270 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Nev--Well, I've got it pretty planned out....just gotta get it down appropriately. I hope I can get it down well.

TheEndofallThingsGoodandBad--(wow, that's a mouthful:)--Don't worry, Tifa's not going to kill herself. I've got a plan for her. ^_^

Sands--You crack me the hell up. I love you.

Monday--Wow, you cried? Awww. *kleenex*

Femme Fatal--Sorry, Cloud's not going to live. He had to get the ax I'm afraid. I like him a lot more than I used to...so when I decided on that...I was kinda sad about it too...

Anon--(The famous Anon woooo. *ghost noises*) I'm not...glad that it made you uneasy, but, on the other hand--I am. Because that's what I was going for. =) And I've still got a couple chapters to go after this one. So, no worries. Hope I can convince you to stay.
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Ok. Onward. This chapter is a little short. But I'm getting there. We'll have a couple more chapters before I end this. Thanks to all you who have read this and kept with me. I can't say in words how much I appreciate it.
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H'okay, here's the earth. That's a sweet earth, y'might say...!
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O�Malley met them at the ramp. He was silent as his captain merely glanced at him and walked upwards, Cloud in his arms.

�Get the ship ready, O�Malley. Take us home.�

�Sir.� The man saluted.

Cid paused. �One other thing. Have a couple guys empty out one of the freezers. I don� care how y�do it. Just get it done before I get down there. Understood?�

�Yes, sir.� O�Malley turned sharply and jogged away.

�Why empty out a freezer?� Nanaki�s voice was dull and low.

Cid looked at him. Sometimes, that beast was smarter than all of them put together and sometimes, he was dumb as a rock. �Need somewhere to put the body until we get back t�Midgar.�

�He�s not food, Cid,� Yuffie cried, blinking furiously.

It took everything in him not to drop Cloud and snap her scrawny little neck. �Oh, you�n�shithead got a better idea? No? Then shut up.�

�Fuck off, Highwind,� Reno snapped, glaring. �There was no fucking reason for that.�

�Cid.�

Cid looked at Vincent, who closed his eyes and shook his head. The meaning was clear.

Calm down. Now is not the time.

He took a deep breath and turned back around. The fury did not recede, it merely quieted�for now. �Do whatever the hell you want. I�m goin� t�take �im downstairs.�

�I�m coming with you,� Yuffie said. She wiped her nose on the back of her hand, trying to keep from crying.

Cid swallowed. �Sure. Fine. Whatever you want, Yuffie.�

�Hey, Vince�where�s your claw?� Reno had turned and was staring at him. �You didn�t leave it did you?�

Vincent shook his head. �I�ll explain later. I would like to get Tifa in a bed.�

Reno nodded and turned to follow Cid and Yuffie up the ramp and the left. Vincent went right, carrying his load.

Instead of taking Tifa to her own room, Vincent took her to his. He wasn�t sure why he did so�

I can count on you, right?

�but maybe Cloud meant that he would take care of her.

It had always been the one strange thing about Tifa, from Vincent�s point of view. Yuffie, who was meaner, more sarcastic, and�frankly�more annoying sometimes, shrugged off men. She didn�t need them. She liked the, obviously, but she didn�t need one.

Aeris, who had been so innocently perfect, spunky and considerate�had been alone for years, always being harassed by the Turks. She was little flirty, perhaps, but she never appeared to be lonely.

And then there was Tifa. Who was stronger than either of the other two women with her fists and techniques�and yet�she was lonelier and, in some ways, weaker than her two companions. Cloud seemed to be her other half. She seemed�completed by him. Barret had told them once that Tifa had not been like that before Cloud returned. When she�d been working for Avalanche she had been as hard as he was. Tough as nails. Then Cloud had returned and she�d changed, in Barret�s opinion, for the worst.

She�d changed for love, obviously. It seemed to be the ending to everyone�s favorite sad stories. At the moment, Vincent couldn�t find himself to be very inclined to call it his �favorite�.

He laid Tifa down on his bed and started to remove her boots, one-handed. He stopped and consciously lifted where his claw used to be. He squeezed the fingers again, feeling warmth. He lifted the hand to join its fellow at Tifa�s boot-lace.

It was a little clumsy, getting the fingers to work at such tasks again. They fumbled at the knots. He smiled a little�he had a hand, but he�d have to teach it how to work again. Finally, he managed the laces and pulled off Tifa�s shoes and socks. He put her under the blankets and then he sat next to the bed.

I�ll take care of her for you�

Some time later, Barret, Nanaki, Yuffie, Reno, and Jeremiah sat in a conference room. The tension in the room was palpable. No one spoke. No looked directly at each other. They were waiting for Cid or Vincent to return. Or for Tifa to awaken. Or by some miracle have Cloud returned to them.

Yuffie fidgeted. Barret gave her a decidedly cool glance, which she looked away from miserably. Taking a deep breath, as if to fortify herself, she asked Reno, �Hey. What�s your favorite food?�

Reno, who had been staring at the tabletop, lost in thought, curled his lower lip inside his mouth and wiped his face. He sat up a little straighter. �Favorite food? Well�.uh��

�S�just that I�ve never asked you.�

�Y�guys never go out t�eat?� Barret mumbled.

�Not much money,� Yuffie murmured back. �Besides, I wouldn�t trust him in public.� She tried a weak smile but it didn�t reach her eyes.

Reno seemed to really think about it, scratching his hair and then he said, �Well, hell. I guess my favorite food would have to be waffles.�

Yuffie tilted her head at him, puzzled. Barret looked at him as though he were an idiot. �Waffles?� the dark man said, clearly exasperated. �Wha� th�hell y�like waffles for?�

Reno smiled for the distraction. �They�re good. And y�can do just about anything with �em. Put chocolate syrup and whipped cream on �em. Or maple syrup and butter. Or just lots of butter and some salt��

�Ew!� Yuffie said, revolted.

�And salad dressing is pretty good. Peanut butter and ketchup.�

�That�s disgusting,� Barret grumbled.

�Well, what do you like?�

Barret crossed his arms. �Steak.�

�Raw?� asked Reno, smirking and not looking surprised that a big, beefy guy like Barret would love steaks.

�No, not raw, y�fuckin� idiot. Jus� a little pink, wiht barbeque sauce an� mashed potatoes.�

�You know, you could put ranch dressing on��

�I hate dressing. Don� talk t�me abou� dressing.�

�You hate salad dressing?� Yuffie asked him.

�Yea. Don� like it.�

�I didn�t know that.�

�Well, what�s your favorite food, babe?�

�Chicken sandwiches,� Yuffie smiled, sadly. �Really hot, with mayonnaise and lettuce.�

�I�ll agree with that,� said Reno, looking cheerlessly, at the table again. �Chicken sandwiches are pretty fucking good. Although I like dressing better than mayonnaise.�

�What is it with you and dressing?�

�I dunno. Just like it.�

�On everything?�

�Well, everything except cake.�

�I like cake,� Jeremiah said, suddenly. �Chocolate cake. With chocolate moose an� chocolate chips an� chocolate fudge.�

Yuffie smiled. �Is that your favorite food, Jeremiah? Chocolate? Like Vincent?�

�Naw,� said Jeremiah, shaking his head, staring at the opposite wall as if he could see through it. �I like macaroni �n� cheese.� The grizzled pilot turned to Nanaki. �Wha�s yer fav�rite food?�

Barret, Reno, and Yuffie looked puzzled by this question, as Nanaki was�well�.whatever he was, they assumed he was a carnivore.

But Nanaki merely gave the captain a particularly kind smile, showing lots of teeth and said, �I also prefer meat. And sweet potatoes.�

�Tha�s a goo� one. I like sweet potatoes,� said Jeremiah, clapping Nanaki on what he assumed was his shoulder. �There�s a sweet lady �o lives dow� th�street from me�makes the mos� bes� smellin� sweet potatoe pie you�d e�er want.�

�It smells great, but how does it taste?� Reno leaned forward, looking very interested.

Jeremiah shrugged. �Dunno. Ne�er �ad it.�

�Never had it? Is she a friend of yours or anything? Just go swipe it from her window sill!�

Jeremiah frowned. �Naw. I�ve spoken t�er a few fair times but I never �ad the courage t�go ask Elmyra Gainsborough fer th�recipe.�

�Gainsborough?� asked Yuffie, instantly. �Elmyra Gainsborough?�

Jeremiah brightened a little. �Aye. Elmyra Gainsborough. Moved t�the north a coupla years ago. She came fro� Midgar. You kno� �er?�

�Are you sure she lived in Midgar?�

Jeremiah shifted, suddenly looking uncomfortable. �Well, she di� say she �ad moved t�Kalm but then one day she jus� go� up and came north. Sai� Midgar was t�close and �ad too many memories. I ne�er asked �er why. S�impolite, you know?�

�Son o� a bitch,� Barret muttered, looking annoyed.

�Wha�?�

Reno scratched his cheek and leaned back when Yuffie looked at him. �Huh-uh. I ain�t touchin� that. You asked, sweets.�

Nanaki saved her the trouble. �Elmyra Gainsborough was the foster mother of Aeris Gainsborough, who was murdered by Sephiroth in her attempt to summon Holy to destroy Meteor.�

Jeremiah�s mouth went a bit slack. �Is she? Y�mean, the girl in the Forgotten City? Tha�s �er mother?�

Nanaki nodded.

Jeremiah nodded a little absently, thinking that over. �I didnae e�en put tha� together.�

�Well, that�s pretty obvious, old man.� Reno quailed from the glare Yuffie shot at him.

Jeremiah gave a very sad smile. �I don�t �member things like I used t�. If I�da known tha� I�da tried �arder t�help �er. She keeps to �erself mostly. Took in a li�le runt o� a boy after his parents were kill�d.� Jeremiah sighed. �I�m a stupi� ol� man.�

All four of them looked at him, not knowing what to say.

The door swung open. Cid stood there, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, looking haggard and angry. �Out. Alla you. I wanna talk to Barret.�

�If this is about Cloud than we deserve��

Cid sent red-rimmed eyes at Yuffie. �S�not about Cloud. S�bout Tifa. And as Barret knows �er best��

�I�m not leaving,� Yuffie snapped, jumping up and slamming her hands down on the table. �I�m Tifa�s friend too. I�m not leaving.�

Cid was too exhausted and miserable to fight it. He had kicked Yuffie out of the freezer for bursting into tears, so he prepared Cloud�s body himself. Nanaki had shown up and helped him and then left, saying he should try to get a hold of Cait Sith. He had to remind himself sometimes that, by Nanaki�s species, he was hardly any older than Yuffie. He probably couldn�t tolerate looking at the stiffening body of his friend, Cloud Strife�

Hell, you could hardly stand it either�

Cid shot a hot and very frustrated look at Reno. �What about you, hotshit?�

Reno straightened, glaring. �If she�s not leaving, I�m not leaving.�

Jeremiah stood up. �I�ll take m�leave. You all know th�girl a fair �mount be�er than me. Y�know where Zet is, Capt�n? She diappear�d on me after we got back.�

Cid paused and then shook his head. �Dunno,� he muttered, not looking at him. �She�s �round somewhere.� Cid glanced up and found Jeremiah staring at him. Their eyes met. It made Cid uncomfortable, though he couldn�t really explain why. �I dunno,� Cid said, more forceful this time. Jeremiah nodded and took his leave of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

No one said a word.

Cid threw himself down at the head of the table. �Vincent�s with Tifa right now. She�s still asleep. I wanna know your opinions on what we shoul� do when we git �er back home. I�m not leavin�. I�m gonna stay in that house. Vincent says he�s gonna stay too�permanently? I dunno. I wanna know what the rest of you are gonna do and I was gonna ask Barret �ow he thought Tifa would react to the funeral. And if he thought Tifa would have any opinions on where�where Cloud is buried.�

�You wanted to kick us out just to say that?�

Cid pointed his cigarette at Reno. �Kid, I�m not in th� fucking mood for you right now. So shut up, or yer walkin� home.�

�Hey? You know what��

�Kid, I ain�t fuckin� around. I will kick the shit out of you. Shut up.�

�I�m not��

�Reno, stop it!� Yuffie jumped. �Just shut up!� She looked down at them both, red-rimmed-eyes blinking furiously again.

Nanaki crawled up into a chair. �Please, everyone. Tifa will wake up in a few hours and she�ll need us. We can�t be bickering amongst ourselves.�

Yuffie collapsed back into her chair, suppressing a sniffle and putting her forehead in her hands. Reno, rebuked, sat back, crossing his arms and staring at the table again.

Cid unclenched his hands. This was why he�d only wanted to talk to Barret. He took a deep drag off the cigarette, put it out on the tabletop and fished out another. �Anyway, Barret. What did y�think?�

Barret unfolded his massive arms, roving dark eyes over all of them. �M�guess it�ll be either Midgar or Nibelheim. Pro�bly Midgar�too much bad shit �n Nibelheim.� He rolled his shoulders. �As t�ow she�ll be? Dunno. We�ll know whe� sh�wakes up.�

�I�ll stay with you guys for awhile,� Yuffie said, her voice muffled, still staring down at the floor. �Whatever Tifa needs.�

Reno seemed to struggle internally and then voiced, �Yeah�me too.�

�I will come also.�

�Fine. Tha�s all I needed then.� Cid pulled himself up and went for the door, eager to get away from them, to put today�s miserable events out of his mind.

�Cid,� grumbled Barret. The pilot turned to stare at the man. Barret�s eyes were hard with grief. He didn�t say anything. He didn�t need to. Barret was older than he was, by a couple years, sure, but not that much older. Barret knew. He nodded to him. Cid nodded in return and left the room.

�M�gonna go get somethin� t�eat and go to bed,� Barret told them, quietly. �It�d prob�ly be bes� if we all did.�

�M�not hungry,� Yuffie mumbled. �I think m�gonna just go t�bed.� She sniffed miserably. �Wake me up when Tifa wakes up.�

Reno looked at them all and then looked away. He got up to follow her.

Nanaki and Barret looked at each other.

�This is simply a thought,� Nanaki began. �But I�m sure everyone in Cosmo Canyon would be honored to have Cloud buried next to Grandfather. Only the most honored and wisest among us are buried where he is buried. If Tifa wanted��

Barret shrugged. �Dunno. She may want him�near or maybe somewhere totally different. Ask �er when she wakes up. Either way, m�sure she�ll appreciate it.�

�I don�t want to seem too forward��

Barret shook his head. �Don� worry �bout it.�

Down the labyrinth of hallways, Tifa opened her eyes.

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Vincent Comes Home