One-Winged Angel

Rating: PG-13
Category: AU
Pairing(s): Cid/Vincent
Warnings: Some het, (eek!) Mpreg. Yeah you’re shocked. I can tell.
Summary: Vincent has to lay aside his travels with his friends.
Notes: An art-trade fic for adarkworldfantasy who wanted “…a nervous Vincent when he has to explain to Cid why he is pregnant (I love those moments and you come up with some fabulous ones!) How about...Vincent and Cid moving into a new house, Vincent collapses or something because his system is being overworked by being pregnant?”

Well it’s not 100% what you requested but the basic gist is the same!

It was nice to have time off. There was every chance that the violent snowstorm happening outside the mako cave would do nothing at all to slow down Sephiroth, but there wasn’t anything the group of intrepid adventurers within the cave could do about it. And if Sephiroth had any crumb of reason left in his sick mind, he would not be out in it either.

“I love these caves,” said Tifa as she helped to set up camp. “They’re so pretty. And warm! I love these hot springs! When this is all over I would love to spend some time in one.”

“Tifa the Monk,” said Cid, shaking out a blanket. “I like it.”

“Well not alone!” she said. “I’ll need someone to squish spiders.”

“Squish spiders?!” Cid exclaimed. “I’ve seen you go after Sephiroth with your bare hands!”

“That’s different! He doesn’t have eight legs, run up the walls and leap into your bra.”

Cid turned his head to look at Barret. The pair blinked at each other in disbelief.

“Well she’s right,” said Barret, “he doesn’t.”

“But it would be a hell of a trick,” said Cid.

Tifa walked over to Cloud as he got their small amount of cookware assembled and drew his massive broad-bladed sword from the sheath on his back.

“I’m gonna make cookies,” she announced. “Who wants some?”

She had the full attention of the entire group.

“How are you gonna make cookies in a cave?” Cid asked.

She smiled, placing the sword on its side over the fire pit, then picked up her backpack and reached into it, taking hold of a hidden object and not yet withdrawing it.

“Remember running into Rufus in Rocket Town?”

“I remember him trying to steal my plane at the front door while you numbskulls were stealing it out the back door,” said Cid.

Tifa smiled. “I ran into him while I was doing a quick shop for supplies. He... uh… didn’t remember me.”

“Are you sure?” Barret asked warily.

“Very,” she said. “And I’m not sure what sort of man he is when he’s playing the role of President Shinra, but Rufus Shinra does seem to like spending money on little waifs with big boobs.”

Aeris’ jaw dropped. “Tifa! I don’t believe you! You… and RUFUS?”

“Oh get your mind out of the gutter, there is only so much I’m willing to give away for cookie dough, and he knew it.” She pulled out three rolls of pre-made cookie dough. She then grinned evilly, reached into her backpack once more, and pulled out two bottles of very expensive brandy and a leg of lamb. “So he offered me a little more.”

Aeris shrieked. “YOU ARE SO BAD!!”

“I know! And it was fun!”

“There’s a word for bad little girls who do things for lamb and brandy,” said Cid, grinning.

“Enterprising?” lilted Tifa.

“Yeah that’s it,” said Cid. “Toss me that lamb, I’ll get that roasting. Did he give you any potatoes?”

“He did, sour cream too. And bacon. And some filet mignon to go with the bacon.”

“You hit him up for filet mignon?” said Yuffie, her tone one of disbelief.

“No I wanted a chicken. He said I needed to practice my ‘taking advantage of rich men’ skills and gave me the filet.”

“Well it is a handy skill to have,” said Aeris, giggling.

“Uh, I’d like to know something,” said Barret. “Rufus may not have realized who you were, but I’m willing to bet his Turks did.”

“Yeah but they were off doing Turk things,” she said. “They don’t follow him constantly.”

“And certainly not into store rooms with a girl,” said Cloud.

“For your information it was not in a store room,” said Tifa. “It was in the back of an antique car.”

“Well that explains why he was late showing up at my place,” said Cid.

“So how was he?” asked Aeris.

Tifa began opening one of the tubes of cookie dough, looking thoughtful. “Better than I expected. I thought he’d be colder.”

“You’re lucky you’re still drawing air!” said Barret. “Some of those rich corporate types are real freaks!”

“And Barret would know,” said Cid, “he used to be a stripper at parties for rich corporate types.”

Barret growled, his left eye twitching as he stared at Cid. Tifa just shook her head.

“No he was really nice. I wasn’t scared at all. I mean I’ll never be the head of his fan club, but I don’t think hurting women is something we can accuse him of. He clearly likes them, and he knows how to charm them into giving him what he wants, but he used charm, not threats. He’s a terrific flirt. Not like that Don Corneo puke.” Tifa made a face.

“Well that’s something at least,” said Cloud.

“Learn anything useful?” inquired Vincent.

“Let’s see…” said Tifa, slicing the dough and laying the cookies out on Cloud’s buster sword, intending to use it as a baking sheet. “Uh… he drinks really good rum, no idea what brand it was but it tasted like vanilla and went down like silk, he nibbles, carries photos of his favourite chocobo in his wallet, has very eclectic taste in music, and likes biscotti in his coffee.”

“Terrific,” said Yuffie dryly. “Very helpful.”

“And he’s got a fabulous tongue.”

Barret slapped a hand over his face. “I’m not old enough to be hearing this shit.”

“I am,” said Cloud.

“Hell so am I,” said Cid.

“I am!” said Aeris.

“You’re upsetting the vampire,” grumbled Barret, indicating Vincent, who was sitting quietly in the corner, watching his companions.

“What about it, Vincent?” asked Cid. “Is Tifa’s lurid tale of lamb and cookies getting to you?”

“No, I was just wondering if I still remembered how to perform oral sex on a woman. It’s been a while.”

Tifa and Aeris shrieked and giggled. Yuffie rolled her eyes.

“I’m going outside to look at the snow, where it’s less perverted.”

“Don’t go far,” said Aeris. “If you get lost out there you’ll freeze!”

“I’m not going far, I just wanna see what the storm is doing.”

“It’s storming, what else would it be doing?” said Cid.

“Well it might be getting better!”

“Not until after we eat that lamb it ain’t,” said Barret.

***---***

The lamb was roasted, the cookies were baked, and the group of adventurers were feeling relaxed and happy as they passed around the bottles of brandy. They were even reaching the point of being silly, which was hardly surprising after the days of pain and stress. They were in desperate need of fun and laughter, and it was a welcome treat to just have an evening to drink and talk and play.

The play came from an unexpected source; none other than Vincent. Since they had found him in Nibelheim, he had been quiet and withdrawn and rather sad. However with a fair bit of good brandy in him, he was getting rather lively. And when Barret reached for the last cookie, Vincent deftly stole it and held it close, red eyes glittering with mischief.

“Uh-oh,” said Cid, grinning. “Barret I think you have a fight on your hands.”

Barret rose to his feet and crossed his arms, trying to be intimidating, but not quite managing it in his current mood.

“Okay, Valentine. Put the cookie down and step away.”

Vincent shook his head, the faintest of smiles on his lips. Barret raised an eyebrow.

“Are you gonna make me count to three?”

“He knows you can’t count that high, Wallace,” said Cid.

“Shut up, Highwind!” Barret returned his gaze to Vincent. “Last warning, Valentine. Either put the cookie down, or I get you.”

Vincent shook his head, black hair slipping into his face. Barret tried to glower, but it was difficult to do when he could hardly contain his amusement.

“Last chance!”

Vincent shook his head again.

“All right,” said Barret, “It’s on!”

Barret lunged, and Vincent darted away. Barret gave chase, his friends shouting encouragement.

“Get him, Barret!” yelled Yuffie.

“No way Barret can catch Vincent,” said Cid. “Go Vincent!”

Barret chased Vincent, following the rapidly moving blur of black and red but unable to close the gap between them. Vincent flitted with ethereal grace and utter silence, moving so fast at times he almost seemed to ricochet. Then Barret suddenly changed tactics; anticipating where Vincent would head and suddenly jumping into his path and catching him, much to the amusement and amazement of his friends, who cheered his successful hunt loudly, and with no small amount of surprise. Barret deftly flipped the much more slender and light man into an upside down position, hanging Vincent by his knees from the huge, powerful gun-arm.

“Give it up, Valentine!” said Barret. “You’re in trouble now!”

Vincent squiggled, uncertain how to get out of his predicament without either cutting Barret badly or ending up on his head. He finally just dangled, looking like a very confused vampire clutching a cookie, his long black hair hanging down. He pondered a little while longer, then broke the cookie in half and offered part of it to Barret. Tifa and Aeris melted and cooed over the cuteness of the gesture as Barret accepted the treat with his free hand. Satisfied with the spoils, Barret ate his half as Vincent ate his own, then carefully set Vincent down, placing him on his feet. That was when Barret noticed Vincent seemed a little more pale than usual. Amusement turned to concern as he felt the thin body weave, then go limp. Barret caught him, gently laying him down on the floor.

“What the hell happened?!” asked Cid, rising abruptly.

“I don’t know!” said Barret. “He just fainted!”

“You didn’t hurt him, did you?” asked Tifa.

“I don’t think I did, but he’s so small it’s hard to tell.”

“Small?” said Cloud. “He’s as tall as you are!”

Barret knelt down by the limp form, carefully running his good hand over him, feeling for breaks. “Well he might be tall an’ leggy, but there’s nothin’ in this red cape but little bones. He’s starved half to death, and freezing cold.”

“Let’s get him in the hot spring,” said Cid. “Maybe the cold affected him. It’s not like we know anything about the little dingbat, other than we found him lying in a coffin in a haunted house.”

The hot spring was enormous; more than large enough for the entire group. They stripped down to varying stages of undress, Aeris just dangling her feet in the water while Cloud and Cid got down to their shorts to get into the pool with Vincent. They peeled off the cloak and the leathers, then froze as they got a look at some of the massive and brutal scars left on his body. Cid glanced at Cloud.

“I think we found out why we never see this guy without the cape, gloves and headband. C’mon, you put the headband back on him.”

“I have a nightshirt you can put on him,” said Aeris. “It used to belong to an old boyfriend.”

“Get it,” said Cloud. “I don’t think he’s going to like waking up and finding us staring at those scars.”

When Vincent did wake up, he was sitting in the hot spring, leaning against Cid’s strong body, dressed in a nightshirt he was sure he had seen Aeris wearing. He blinked at the group of people seated around him, all clearly concerned.

“You fainted,” said Tifa quietly.

“Passed out is more like it,” said Barret. “You were unconscious. You had us scared. Any idea what happened?”

Vincent sighed quietly. “I have a theory but I’ll have to get out of the hot spring for a few minutes.”

Cid helped Vincent out of the spring, then stood watching, concern in his blue eyes, as the tall, thin man walked over to his small pack, picked it up and took it to a secluded part of the cave. Barret nudged Cloud, then, when he had his attention, gestured to Cid, who was still gazing after Vincent. They grinned.

“Hey Highwind,” said Barret.

“Hah?”

“Your closet door is hanging open.”

“It’s my fucking closet, I can do what I want.”

Vincent returned after a few minutes, tossing his bag onto his bedroll and getting back into the spring. The expression in his eyes was one of panic, confusion, and helplessness. For a very long time he said nothing at all, until it became clear that, whatever the problem was, he was not likely to discuss it without a certain amount of prodding.

“Are you okay?” Cid asked.

He shook his head. Cid moved closer, putting an arm around him. Barret and Cloud cast each other glances, suspecting that Cid’s feelings for Vincent were slightly more than platonic.

“Vincent,” said Cid quietly, “whatever the problem is, we’ll help. There’s nothing you can tell us that will turn us away.”

“You can’t help,” he said quietly. “There is nothing anyone can do. I have to return to Shinra Manor and leave aside my travels with you.”

“You’re going away?” Aeris said, her expression one of distress. “But you can’t! We need you!”

“She’s right,” said Cloud. “We can’t do this without you, Vincent.”

“I don’t want to go,” said Vincent. “But the choice has been taken from me.”

Barret’s eye began to twitch. “This is because of something Hojo did, isn’t it?”

Vincent nodded slowly. “Yes. I would love to hunt him down and…discuss what he did to me, but that chance has been taken from me. I must return to the house. I cannot continue.”

“Vincent,” said Cid, “we can help. Whatever it is.”

“You can’t help me, Cid. There is nothing any of you can do.”

“The hell there isn’t! There’s always an option! At least tell us what the hell the problem is!”

“Cid… I…”

“NO! No more shit about sin and atonement and mutterings about your crimes! If you want to leave this group and send us off to face Sephiroth without a good sniper to back us up then you owe us a fucking explanation, Valentine!”

Vincent flinched visibly, as if expecting a blow. Cloud moved protectively to Vincent’s side, glaring at Cid as he tried to draw him close, and was shocked when Vincent yanked away from both of them. He pushed himself out of the spring and onto the edge of the pool, red eyes luminous.

“I don’t need to be comforted, I’m not a child,” he said to Cloud. Then he looked at Cid. “And with all due respect I don’t have to tell you fuck!” he spat.

Cid backed up. “Whoa! The vampire has a backbone after all!”

“Cid!” Barret snapped. “Just back the fuck off! We don’t need a fight!”

“I ain’t starting one! But if little Princess of the Damned here thinks he can…”

Vincent punched him; simply pulled back his fist and with one beautifully aimed strike split Cid Highwind’s lip. Cid fell silent and stared at Vincent in absolute astonishment. Vincent drew back, moving away from the spring, seeming to huddle into himself as the fire died in his eyes, startled by his own actions.

“I don’t owe you any explanations,” he said softly. “And you can’t order me to talk.”

The other members of the group waited for Cid to have a five star fit, but, strangely enough, he didn’t. He didn’t seem upset in the least that Vincent had lashed out at him. He just seemed hurt and confused.

“We’re all just worried,” Cid said quietly. “Okay maybe I didn’t make that clear but… we’ve all been through a lot of shit in a very short while. We care about you. And I don’t think I’m the only person here who doesn’t wanna see you back in that house. We just want to help.”

“He’s right, man,” said Barret. “We’ve all been hurt by the same people you have. If something Hojo did to you is stopping your journey, we just want to know if there is anything we can do.”

Vincent lowered his head and seemed to become smaller. “I just… don’t like talking about it. I feel like such a freak…”

“Oh join the club,” said Aeris. “Try being a little kid with all the bizarre powers who talks to ghosts. You think anyone came to my birthday party?”

“Or being the guy with the gun on his arm?” said Barret.

“Or the guy who spent two years of his life floating in a tank?” said Cloud.

“Or the talking dog?” said Nanaki.

Yuffie cocked a thumb at Cait Sith. “Or the weird guy back at Shinra Headquarters who designs talking kitties that use a megaphone for a weapon?”

“Crap,” said Reeve very quietly.

“Busted!” said Barret.

Tifa giggled, picking Cait Sith up and hugging him.

“You’re not a freak, Vincent,” said Cid quietly. “You’re part of our screwed up little family. And we want to help.”

Vincent came back to the spring, sitting on the edge, dangling his feet in the comforting warm water. “I don’t know if you can,” he said. “But… I don’t suppose it will hurt to tell you what’s wrong.”

He fell silent for a while, considering what he had to say, and how to say it. Finally he spoke.

“I am going to assume that… whoever put me in Aeris’ nightie…”

Aeris giggled. Vincent managed a slight smile.

“…saw at least some of the scars on me.”

He reached up and untied the draw string at the neck of the garment, allowing it to slip from his shoulders and down to his waist. There was silence in the room as they gazed at what had been done to Vincent; the autopsy scars, the slashes that seemed to make no sense, a horrific round hole that seemed to have been chopped into his flesh over his heart and then allowed to heal… the bullet wound in his stomach seemed almost anti-climactic in comparison.

“Oh Vincent I’m so sorry…” whispered Tifa.

“Hojo did this,” he said quietly. “He killed me, he dissected me, experimented on me, and then he discarded me. And when he was done… someone I adored and trusted took over. I was raised from the dead, but I lost everything; my life, my looks, the woman I loved, my humanity… believe it or not I used to be considered quite handsome. I used to have women lined up around the block.”

“Vincent, I don’t know if you will believe this or not,” said Cloud, “but speaking as the token gay guy in the group… you’re still a very beautiful man.”

“You are,” said Tifa, as Aeris nodded.

“I don’t feel beautiful. I feel broken, sad and tired. But… that’s not the reason why I have to leave the group.”

He fell silent for a while once more, then drew a breath, continuing with his story.

“I was experimented on extensively. You have… seen the creatures I have been infused with. I thought… there were no surprises left. But I just learned about one that frankly has me more afraid than any of the others. You see… Hojo has a very sick sense of humour. And I was so beside myself over the woman that I loved more than any other being pregnant by him that… I suppose he thought it would be deliciously ironic if…if I was…pregnant… too…”

His voice faded into a whisper, then trailed off. The profound quiet that followed was like a shockwave, striking the group in a manner that was almost physical.

“You’re… pregnant?” The voice that came out of Cait Sith was Reeve’s.

“I’m pregnant,” he quietly confirmed. He took a plastic device out of his nightshirt pocket and held it up. “I suspected as much when we first hit Wutai, so I paid a young woman to go into a shop and get me a pregnancy test. Told her it was for my girlfriend and I was too embarrassed to do it myself. Which… was partly true. I was embarrassed. Then I convinced myself I was just still dealing with the effects of what was done to me and forgot about it… until I fainted. My mother fainted when she was pregnant. I decided then that I had to know. Anyway as you can see…I can’t go on.”

Cid gave his head a shake. “Wait wait wait…. You’re pregnant?! HOW?! Who the hell have you been having sex with who isn’t…? Who have you been having sex with?!”

“I don’t know by whom and I don’t know with what,” said Vincent. “It’s been literally years since I’ve been with a man. Or anyone. Hojo must have put something in me, and then when I woke up and became active it…came out of dormancy.”

“Maybe you… don’t have to have it,” said Yuffie.

“I’m not killing something because I don’t know what it is,” said Vincent coldly.

“There are doctors who can figure out that stuff,” said Barret. “He doesn’t have to have it if it ain’t human.”

Vincent was quickly becoming angry again, focussing his ire at Barret. “I’M not human. Nanaki is not human. If you want to split hairs, Aeris is not human. And why the fuck are you discussing me as if I am not even in the room? And who determines if my baby is more of a monster than I am?!”

“I just meant,” said Barret, “that if something shows up that ain’t… right…”

“Barret,” said Cid, “I’d stop digging if I was you, that hole you’re in is getting mighty deep. We can’t assume anything about this baby until it’s born, and if there is one thing we have all learned, it’s that we can’t go by appearances.” He turned his attention to Vincent. “As for you, you’re not going back to that fucking coffin.”

“Cid… I can’t…”

“You can’t go on, you have a baby in you, I get that,” said Cid. “But I’m not sitting back and watching you crawl back into that hell-hole. I couldn’t do it even if you weren’t pregnant.”

“Where will I go?” Vincent asked quietly. “I have nowhere to…”

Cid looked toward Cait. “Reeve, is that yellow villa in Costa del Sol still for sale?”

“I don’t know, I’ll ask.”

Barret raised an eyebrow. “You’ll ask? Ask who?”

“Me,” purred a quiet voice. “After all it is my yellow villa. Am I to understand you intend to house our little Vincent there?”

Cid looked worried. “I dunno, I think I don’t like him in a house that belongs to you.”

“I look after my Turks,” said Rufus coldly.

All heads turned to Vincent.

“TURK?!” exclaimed Yuffie.

“Former,” said Vincent softly.

“Current,” said Rufus, his tone gentle when he addressed Vincent. “There is no record of you leaving my employ. Thirty years of back-pay should cover one little yellow house.”

“Rufus…”

“Don’t argue with the man, he’s giving away houses,” said Yuffie. “Hey can I have a house too?”

“Ask me after you spend thirty years in a casket. Vincent… you have more than earned the house. You more than deserve it.”

“But I couldn’t…” Vincent began, but Rufus interrupted.

“You tried,” he said gently. “I’ll draw up the paperwork. Do you need someone to come get you?”

“No, it’s all right. I can get there.”

“All right. But call me if you need help.”

“I will. Thank you, Rufus.”

“Anytime,” he said quietly, and was gone. Barret looked at Vincent.

“So what’s the story with you two? You sound like old friends.”

“No,” said Vincent quietly. “He and I are simply travelers in the same story. A real grim fairy tale.”

“What is the story with him and his Turks?” asked Aeris. “There’s a whole sorta… creepy pseudo-sexual co-dependence thing happening there…”

“Oh it’s not pseudo-sexual,” said Cait. Tifa almost spat her brandy. Vincent smiled.

“Once upon a time, Old Man Shinra decided to wipe out all the Turks,” said Vincent. “They were too powerful and knew too much. Tseng and Rufus managed to save nearly all of us. We look out for each other. To outsiders looking in, I suppose it does look strange. But to those of us who know what happened to Veld, and the Turks, it makes perfect sense.”

“Tales within tales,” said Cid. “Well it works in our favour this time. You have a safe, calm place to be pregnant, and we can keep an eye on you.”

“If only we knew what I was pregnant with,” Vincent said quietly.

***---***

“So you’re okay?” Cid asked, looking nervous.

“I’m fine, Cid, I’m pregnant, not dying,” said Vincent as he settled himself on the couch. He rolled his eyes as Cid covered him over with a blanket.

“You need anything?” Cid asked.

“No, Cid.”

“Nothing to eat? Drink?”

“No Cid.”

“Comfortable?”

“Hey Highwind,” said Barret. “Your closet door’s hanging open again.”

“I am gonna hurt you in a minute!” Cid warned.

“Cid,” said Vincent softly, “it’s okay. I like you, too.”

Cid’s gaze snapped to Vincent, his eyes wide.

“You do?”

Vincent smiled, and nodded. “Yes. I do.”

Cid sat down beside him on the couch, taking his hand. “I wish I’d told you but… I didn’t know how.”

“I know the feeling. I didn’t think… you’d want a man, especially one as much of a mess as I am.”

“You’re not a man. You’re something special and beautiful.” Cid moved a little closer, becoming almost shy. “I knew the moment I saw you that I wanted to be with you. I’m just… not good with emotion. But… well we have time to get to know each other, if you wanna.”

“I’d like that,” said Vincent.

“You… gonna be okay here alone?”

“I think so. If anything comes up, I’ll call.”

“I’ll call you every evening. Just to check.”

They gazed at each other for a long moment, then Cid leaned forward. Their lips met in a shy kiss, and when Cid pulled back he looked flustered and off balance for the first time since Vincent had known him.

“I gotta go,” Cid said quietly.

“I know. Be careful, Cid.”

“I will.” He smiled. “I got something to come home to now.”

Vincent leaned forward to kiss Cid again, but stopped when he heard Aeris gasp loudly. Vincent looked up, and saw Rufus Shinra standing in the kitchen of the tiny villa, flanked by his Turks. Cid rose to his feet, standing protectively by Vincent, as Rufus surveyed the inside of the villa.

“What a dump. Vincent I apologize, I had no idea the décor was so hideous.”

“It’s fine,” said Vincent.

Rufus walked through the house as if it was his own… which technically it was until the paperwork was completed. He seated himself on the couch Vincent was laying on, looking at him.

“Is everything all right?”

“I’m fine. Really. You didn’t have to come.”

“I told you, I look after my Turks. Should I have the big blonde shot for getting friendly?”

Vincent managed a smile. “No, I was hoping he would get a little friendlier.”

“Your wish is my command.” Rufus stood up and looked at Cid. “Sit on the sofa and get friendly with him.”

Cid shrugged. “If you insist.”

“Why are you here?” demanded Yuffie, her tone hostile. Rufus gazed down his nose at her.

“Not that I owe you an explanation, but I come bearing health care professionals. Our little Vincent needs doctors. Oh and one other thing. Tseng? Reno? If you don’t mind…?”

Yuffie shrieked as she was grabbed and hung upside down. As she screamed and struggled, Elena went through her pockets, finally producing a ball of red materia, tossing it to Rufus, who deftly caught it.

“HEY THAT’S MINE, I STOLE IT FAIR AND SQUARE!”

“Tseng? Reno? Beach.”

Yuffie could be heard screaming all the way down to the shore, where she was tossed off a pier and into the water. Tifa crossed her arms and gave Rufus a chastising look.

“You shouldn’t have had Yuffie thrown into the water.”

“You think I should have had her thrown her into something else?”

“You’re mean.”

“Yes I am.” He moved closer, nuzzling up to her. “So how is the food supply? Need some lamb? Brandy? Cookies?”

“Truffles and a shopping trip?”

“Very good, see I knew you would get the hang of this. Come along, let’s hit the shops while Vincent has his check-up.”

He offered Tifa his arm, which she accepted, and the two left. Barret watched them go, looking very upset and angry.

“Hey Barret,” said Cid. “Your unrequited crush is showing.”

“SHU’UP, JACKASS!”

***---***

It was over. After months of tracking Sephiroth all over the planet, and finally trapping him in the Northern Crater, it was all over. There was no joy, just exhaustion and grief that so much tragedy had come to pass. Aeris was gone. Sephiroth was gone. Both lost their lives as a result of the dreams of madmen, and Cloud especially seemed weighted down by their deaths. His friend had been slaughtered by his beloved commander, who had been driven insane to prove a theory. It was almost more than he could stomach.

Cid however could not wait to get back to the yellow villa and see how Vincent was. At the end of the adventure, it was funny how the only thing on his mind was Vincent. He had wanted to spend more time with him, but that had proved difficult, and at times impossible. Most of their relationship had been over the phone or on the internet, and a lot of it had been very emotional. What it boiled down to was Vincent was alone, and pregnant, and no one had the first idea what with. And Cid was always hundreds of miles away, up to his ass in mud and monsters.

It was a rough start to a romance.

He paused on the steps to the villa and looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group, most of whom had no place to go now that the adventure was over. It would be cramped in the small house, but they would figure things out. He waited for his friends to catch up, then walked up the stairs to the door and opened it. He was startled to run into Elena, as if she had been coming to see who was there. She hugged him as soon as she recognized him, then took his hand and pulled him into the kitchen.

“Just in time,” she said, smiling.

“Just in time?” Cid blinked, puzzled by her words. Then realization took hold. “He’s having the baby?”

“He’s got a little ways to go yet, but yeah he’s in labour.” She giggled. “Poor Tseng is in there with him right now, it’s his watch.”

Cid looked down at himself. He was nothing short of filthy. Too filthy to be in a room with someone in labour.

“I gotta shower. Tell Tseng that the cavalry is here.”

Cid showered, then pulled on the cleanest clothes he had in his pack and went into the room. Moments later Tseng was evicted, rather forcibly. Elena was no help, she just giggled at him.

“You okay?”

Tseng was ruffled but unharmed. “Fine. I’ve never been so glad to be thrown out of room in my life.”

“You don’t seem like the kind who gets thrown out of rooms often,” said Tifa.

“It’s been known to happen,” was all he said. “How went the battle?”

She shook her head. “Well enough, I suppose. We… killed him. Cloud’s in pieces over it. From what I hear Vincent was too when Cid called and told him.”

Tseng and Elena blinked at her. Tifa blinked back.

“What?” she asked.

“Well he got a phone call, but we didn’t know from whom,” said Elena. “He… kinda went into labour right after.”

Tifa sighed. “Terrific. Well we’re… probably better off not discussing it right now. Let’s just say we saved the planet and let it lie.”

Cloud entered the room just then, looking exhausted and worn, followed by the rest of the group. He looked around as he set his pack down by the door.

“Where’s Cid?”

Tifa pointed to the bedroom door, just as Vincent let out a scream like something abandoned in a desolate section of Hell. Cid’s voice could be heard, speaking softly to him, gently encouraging him. Cloud rolled his eyes.

“Cid Highwind knows how to deliver babies. Well I can die, now, I’ve seen it all.”

Barret came in just in time to hear Cloud speak. “Vincent’s having a baby?”

Tifa nodded. “Sounds like it won’t be too long now.”

Barret visibly lit up. “Oh hell, we gotta see this! Wonder if Vincent would let us watch?”

“GROSS-NESS!” said Yuffie. “Why would you wanna? I wouldn’t wanna see that even if I was the one having it!”

Barret went to the bedroom and tapped on the door. “Vincent?”

“Barret?” said Vincent. He sounded exhausted.

“Is it okay if I come in?”

There was a long silence as Vincent considered. Finally he spoke.

“You can come in. Leave the door open.”

Barret went into the room. Yuffie rolled her eyes.

“Eyew.”

Nanaki trotted into the room after Barret. Cloud sighed as he removed his leathers, then dropped into a chair.

“Well I suppose a little life will be welcome after everything we’ve been through. I think I’m done with death.”

“I’m going in,” said Tifa.

“Me too,” said Elena. “I mean if he’s letting us. Coming, Rude?”

“Eyew.”

“Right on!” said Yuffie. “Me and Rude are gonna hang out here and drink tea.”

“You mean like… together?” said Rude.

“Yeah!”

Rude considered that. “Maybe I would like to see Vincent have his baby.”

“HEY!”

Just then Vincent cut loose with a blood-curdling scream that abruptly deepened into a roar. Barret and Nanaki came tearing out of the room, and Cid could be heard swearing as something set up an ominous flapping that sounded like a locomotive.

“Somebody get in here and help me!” Cid yelled.

“You’re on your own, Highwind!” Barret yelled.

“Coward!”

“I didn’t survive Sephiroth to come here and get my head bashed in by Valentine!”

“Ah he didn’t mean it.” Pause. “Cloud?”

Cloud rose from his chair, muttering softly under his breath. Tifa giggled as Cloud walked to the room, vanishing into the interior. Something flapped once more, the wind causing a draught that was felt into the living room.

“He really does deserve a medal,” said Tifa.

“He needs to learn to say ‘no’ once in a while,” said Barret as something shattered in the bedroom.

They waited in the living room, sipping tea, watching television, talking quietly. In the bedroom Cid and Cloud stayed with Vincent, while Yuffie sat on the floor near the bedroom door, reading a magazine.

“Hey did you know women have a higher pain tolerance than men?” she called to Vincent.

“Get in here and we’ll test that,” said Cid. “Dammit Vincent, watch the wings!”

"YOU WATCH THE FUCKING WINGS!!" something bellowed in a voice that could not have possibly come out of the same tiny soft-spoken man they had come to love; a voice so guttural and monstrous that the floor vibrated. Tseng, who had been dozing until that moment, sat up, blinking. He yawned mightily, and then stretched with a popping of joints.

“And what did you do this evening, Tseng? Well golly Mr. Shinra, I got to hear a demon give birth. I’m gonna move back in with my mommy and start sleeping with the lights on.”

Tifa laughed. “Poor Tseng. Would you like some coffee?”

He looked at his watch, then nodded. “Yeah may as well, I have to be up in another four hours anyway.”

“I’ll help,” said Barret.

Yuffie made kissy-noises at him. He showed her his fist, then followed Tifa into the kitchen. They had only just returned with the coffee when Cid stepped out of the bedroom, looking like he had been battling with an tremendously irate panther. In his arms he was holding something tiny.

“Wanna see what all the screaming was about?” he said, grinning.

There was a veritable stampede of people over to Cid, who showed them the exceptionally tiny bundle. They all noticed the same thing at the same time.

“Well lookee here,” said Barret. “White hair and green eyes. Well what does that tell us?”

“Tells us someone better dig up Hojo and tell him he’s not Sephiroth’s daddy,” said Cid, grinning.

“He’s so tiny!” said Yuffie. “Where did the big shoulders on Sephiroth come from? I mean Vincent’s tall but he’s…”

“Slender,” said Cid.

“I was gonna say built like a pipe cleaner, but slender works.”

Cid stared flaming daggers at Yuffie for a moment, then looked back down at the baby. “Well Vincent said Lucrecia had brothers and they were all big boned, broad-shouldered boys, so musta come from her side of the family. Hojo must have combined their DNA as some sort of joke. Sick piece of shit. Anyway it seems only fitting. Vincent finally has the baby he should have had.”

“Well… not quite,” said Tifa quietly. “I mean… it’s not Sephiroth. He’s not going to get a second chance.”

“And the baby is too small to be him,” said Tseng. “Sephiroth must have been a big baby.”

“No actually he wasn’t,” said Elena. “I had to go through some of Hojo’s files after he vanished. Sephiroth at birth was not much over five pounds.”

“It’s still not him, though,” said Cloud as he approached the group. “Much as he deserved a second chance. Cid? Vincent’s asking for you and the baby.”

“Yeah okay,” said Cid. “Just let me get this little thing cleaned up.”

“Barret and I will help get Vincent settled,” said Tifa. “The sheets must be a mess.”

“I’ll help too,” said Elena. “C’mon Tseng.”

“Oh just what I always wanted for breakfast, coffee and afterbirth.”

“Suck it up, big guy.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Sir. Suck it up, sir.”

“That’s not a significant improvement.”

“I’ll notify Rufus,” said Rude.

Yuffie rolled her eyes. “So nice of you to take the hard job. Hey where’s Reno been in all of this?”

Elena indicated a bundle of what looked to be fabric on the bench in the breakfast nook. Yuffie’s jaw dropped.

“He slept through all this?! I’m gonna poke him.”

“I wouldn’t,” said Elena.

Yuffie ignored the warning and marched forward to give Reno a resounding slap on the ass, and the tall redhead seemed to levitate straight up, twisting like a cat into a fight position. Startled awake, he had no idea what had happened; he simply let his training take over, and there was little anyone could do other than watch Yuffie fly several feet backwards and land on her butt on the floor.

“Told ya,” said Elena, as Reno stood on the bench, looking bleary and confused.

“Coffee?” Tifa offered.

Reno looked around, realizing he was all right, and then nodded. “Okay.”

***---***

The bedroom was cleaned, the Turks left to start their day and report to Rufus, and the rest of the group settled in the living room to sleep, leaving Cid and Vincent in the bedroom with the new baby. The tiny white infant was currently lying face down on Vincent’s chest, sound asleep.

“Looks just like him,” said Vincent sadly.

“Hey, no tears,” Cid said quietly. “We can honour Sephiroth’s memory by not failing this one, okay? If he had you in his life, he would have been okay.”

“I’ll need to think of a name,” said Vincent. “Something unlike his older brother’s name. I don’t want this baby to grow up under a shadow. Still…”

Vincent fell silent. After a few moments, Cid asked “What?”

“Just something my mother said. That lost babies always find their way back to those who loved them. Somehow.”

“He does look like Sephiroth as an infant, from what I hear.”

“He does. It’s… really rather amazing. But… it’s not him.”

“I know,” said Cid.

There was nothing else said. Vincent closed his eyes and exhaled quietly, slipping into a much-needed sleep. Cid managed to stay awake a little while longer, but soon he too was asleep. The small house was dark and silent, save for occasional snuffles from the tiny infant. Briefly he fussed, then, lulled by the sound of his mother’s heart beat, he fell back to sleep once more.

Nobody saw as a single black baby-wing, covered in fuzzy down, emerged from the left shoulder and slowly flapped before folding and becoming still.