By Kristen Gupton-Williams

After the motion of the ship had stabilized, Tifa got back to Vincent’s side. He was in a deep drug induced sleep now and she had no desire to wake him and force him to deal with his continued restraint. Instead, Tifa climbed up beside him in the bed and laid down, draping an arm over him in the process.

Dr. Arlin came in some time later, finding both of them asleep. The two medics that had been ordered to stay here with them were currently playing cards on a vacant bed on the opposite side of the room. She went to the drug cabinet and pulled out a vial containing the sedative she had dosed Vincent with earlier. The doctor wondered if she should cut back the amount of medication she was going to give Vincent. The previous amount had been based on her guess of how much biological content his body still had and the fact that he was still asleep may be an indication that she had overestimated. After a few moments of thought, she walked over to the medics interrupting their game. "Has he moved at all?"

They looked up at her in annoyance and then the heavier of the two spoke. "He’s been out like a light."

Dr. Arlin nodded to herself knowingly before retrieving a syringe from a nearby drawer. She filled the syringe with half the amount she had previously given Vincent. Quietly she made her way to where Vincent was laying and gently exposed his upper arm before injecting him.

Vincent stirred just the slightest bit as the medication burned within his shoulder but quickly returned to sleep. There may have been just the smallest trace of a smile upon his lips as the doctor walked away, but no one saw it.

***

Back in Mideel, life was settling into its normal routine for Jaras. In the morning he opened his store and at night closed it. He hadn’t gone to see Brandon since returning, not knowing what he should say to him when they were finally reunited. That afternoon though, Jaras looked up from one of the new books the store had ordered to see Brandon standing before the counter.

Jaras immediately got up from his seat and smiled as he pulled off his reading glasses. "Hi, Brandon. I’ve been meaning to come by since I got back."

The older man smiled. "Yes, you’re assistant told me that you had returned the other day, but I just hadn’t had a chance to come over."

The fact that both men had been feeling too awkward to face one another went unsaid.

After dropping his gaze to the side, Jaras shrugged weakly. "Well, I certainly went through a lot while I was gone."

The doctor nodded. "I would imagine so. But everything is fine?"

"I think so." Jaras slid his glasses into the pocket of his shirt. "It all makes me want to laugh at all the history books regarding Sephiroth on the shelves."

Brandon smiled. "Maybe you should write your own sometime."

"I’ll pass." Jaras laughed to himself. "I don’t think I would like to dwell on those things anymore than I have to."

"I can’t say that I blame you." He leaned against the counter. "Look, I mostly came by to make sure that you were okay with everything."

Jaras raised his eyebrows. "Sure, that secret couldn’t be kept forever I suppose."

"And are we okay?" Brandon looked somewhat sad. "I should hate for all of this to have ruined our friendship."

"Brandon, it’s not like any of this was your fault." Jaras motioned with his hands, "You did everything you could to try and protect me. At least I had a chance to be who I was for the last seven years before learning about who I was. Hell, if I had learned sooner, who’s to say how I would have turned out, right? And now at least I know that I have a family."

Brandon’s relief was obvious. "Thank you, I’m glad to hear that."

"Thank you for letting me be who I am and not throwing me away because of who I was." Jaras ran a hand through his hair.

"You’re a good man, Jaras." Brandon grinned widely. "Besides, it has been kind of an adventure for me to watch you grow as a person over the years. I was the only one who knew the whole story for a long time. Did an old man like me good to have some adventure in his life for once."

A short silence passed, and the Brandon spoke again. "My daughter has come down from Junon. Why don’t you come out and have dinner with us tonight?"

Jaras, never one for social engagements decided to go ahead and join them. "Sure, I’ll be done here around six."

"Good, we’ll be by to pick you up then." Brandon winked at him. "And wear something nice for God’s sakes, Jeanine is not easily impressed."

***

Tseng retreated to his quarters aboard the airship, knowing that there were still five hours to go on the flight home. As he sat on the edge of his bed, he saw a small silver box on the nightstand. Somehow it had managed to not fall onto the floor earlier when the ship had converted. He frowned to himself as he reached out and picked it up. After staring at it for several minutes he got up and walked out of his room.

He walked into the infirmary, finding Tifa and Vincent lying together in the bed apparently asleep. Tseng reached out and prepared to drop the small box next to Vincent’s side.

Tifa opened her eyes and feared that Tseng was up to no good. "What are you doing?"

Tseng avoided eye contact with her and laid the box next to his brother. "Just giving Vincent something I meant to give him the other day in Rocket. I forgot it in all the excitement of telling him that we could give him a new body."

"I don’t think he wants anything from you right now." Tifa said venomously.

Tseng knit his brow and looked at her. "Do you know what day it is?"

She hadn’t the slightest idea. "What, some special Wutain Holiday?"

"No," Tseng crossed his arms over his chest, "it’s October thirteenth."

This held no meaning for her. "So?"

"So I intended to give this to Vincent the other day, as an early birthday present." Tseng’s voice was flat.

Tifa’s eyes went wide. She had never known what Vincent’s birthday was and it suddenly reminded her that there was a lot she didn’t know about her husband. "His birthday?"

"Yes." Tseng let his arms fall back to his sides. "You had no idea did you?"

"No." Tifa was shocked that Vincent hadn’t told her.

"I suppose there are many things about Vincent that I know and you do not." Tseng replied, driving in his point.

Tifa sat silent, realizing that when it came to Vincent, Tseng was by far more of an authority than she. Some of her anger abated as she realized that Tseng was doing what he believed to be best for both Vincent and her, even if it seemed cruel. She dropped her gaze to the silver box lying on the sheet.

Tseng, knowing that Tifa had just come to an important realization stepped back and headed for the door. He knew he needed to leave her alone with her thoughts for now.

She reached over her husband and took up the box, surprised at its weight. Tifa pulled off the top and looked inside, at once recognizing the contents.

There in a nest of red tissue paper was a gleaming metal object. It was an ammunition clip made to fit Vincent’s Death Penalty. There was something inscribed into the side of the steel item.

Tifa closed the lid to the box and let it fall back to Vincent’s side. Such an item of sentiment could only have come from someone who really did love her husband. Suddenly she felt more than a little bad for how she had been acting toward Tseng since reboarding the ship. She wiped a tear from her eye and gave Vincent a short kiss. "Happy Birthday."