Guilt’s Cost: Part LXXIII

Morning After

There came a knock at Vincent and Tifa’s door. Vincent sat up and looked at the clock, seeing that it was five in the morning. The knock came again and he got up. He picked up his boxers from the floor and pulled them on before answering.

He opened the door a small way and looked out into the hall, seeing that Reno was there. "What’s going on?"

Reno was clearly exhausted after only getting three hours of sleep, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Time to go."

Vincent squinted in groggy confusion. "Go?"

"Come on Vinny, it’s too early for the stupid act." Reno flipped a hand. "It’s time to go to Midgar."

Vincent blinked a few times. "Already?"

Reno handed a large bag to him. "Here’s what you get to wear. Go get Tifa and get ready. Meet us up on the airfield."

"Okay." Vincent took the bag and closed the door. He had no idea that they were going to be leaving so early and he flipped on the light.

The sudden brightness woke Tifa and she covered her eyes with her arm. "What are you doing?"

"Time for us to get ready to leave." Vincent said, landing heavily on the edge of the bed. "Reno brought us somethings to wear for the mission."

Tifa yawned and crawled over to where Vincent was sitting. She sat behind him and placed her arms around his waist. With her cheek resting against his right shoulder, she closed her eyes and sighed. "Can’t we just wait a little longer?"

He brought his human hand up to cover where her two hands clasped over his middle. "I’m afraid not."

Tifa held him a little tighter. "Vincent?"

"Yes?" He turned his head slightly to look back at her.

"I just want you to know that no matter what we find when we get there, that I love you, and I will never leave, no matter what Cloud may do or say." She kept her eyes closed.

He turned in her embrace and kissed her, but said nothing.

Tifa stared into his eyes, searching for any response there. "You don’t believe me, do you?"

Vincent sighed. No matter how much he loved her, there was doubt in him that she wouldn’t have at least some sort of reaction upon seeing Cloud. After the pain that he had suffered at Lucretia’s hands, there would be nothing in the world that could surprise him. "I love you, Tifa."

She flashed a quick smile, but her eyes remained sad. "You didn’t answer my question."

He didn’t want to have this conversation, and he slouched slightly. "Tifa, I don’t want you to promise me something that you might come to regret later."

She furrowed her brow and let go of him. "You think that I would leave you after marrying you?"

"I didn’t say that." Vincent got up. "But you don’t know how you’re going to feel when you see him. I don’t want you to feel like you have to stay with me if you still feel something for him. That’s all."

Tifa didn’t know whether to be hurt or touched by his words. "Vincent, I will not leave you."

"I don’t think that you will." He turned back to face her. "But I just want you to know that if something happens, that I will understand. No matter how much it hurts me, I will understand."

Tifa hung her head. She realized that he didn’t have real doubt in her, but he was expecting the worst after what he had been through in the past. "Vincent, I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again, and this time I want you to listen. I am not Lucretia. She hurt you so badly that you think that I will too, but I won’t. I can promise that to you because I know my mind. I feel no obligation to Cloud anymore other than to get him out of that lab. That is the beginning and the end of it."

Vincent dropped his gaze to the floor. She was right, and he knew it, but he still didn’t want her to feel trapped with him. "All right."

Tifa knew that he still was afraid, and got up from the bed. She reached out and took his right hand in her left one. As their fingers entwined, their wedding rings slid against one another. "Vincent, you tell me not to make a promise to you, but that is exactly what happened yesterday. Marriage is a promise."

He looked at their hands, seeing the two gold bands side by side. Her words rang true, and his heart was touched by them. He leaned forward and let their lips meet. Tifa placed her hands upon his shoulders as they kissed, and felt something odd. She stepped back and looked at him. "Vincent!"

He opened his eyes. "What?"

Tifa touched the union of his human and demon skin. "This! It just receded!"

"Oh…" he looked to where she was touching him seeing that it was true. "How?"

"I don’t know, but it happened when we kissed. Did you feel anything?" Her eyes were fixed on his changed skin.

"I did, but I didn’t know what it was." Vincent smiled faintly. "I felt the same thing yesterday at the end of the wedding, and it’s the same thing that I felt after seeing you for the first time after stasis."

"That’s it…" Tifa threw her arms back around him. "What were you thinking during those times?"

"That…" Vincent closed his eyes, a little embarrassed. "That I love you, and you love me, too."

She stepped back, her grin widening. "Chaos can’t stand that! He can’t bear to feel like that, it’s killing him."

"You’re right…" Vincent almost felt tears in his eyes. "You’re right…"

Tifa stared at him as he was struck by the realization. "That’s why you haven’t had any problems with him since coming out…"

"Because after being in stasis, I came to realize exactly what you meant to me." He looked into her eyes.

In his gaze, Tifa found the first instance of complete happiness and relief in his eyes. "Vincent, you’ve found the answer."

He stepped away and ran his human hand down his face. It was all too simple. Hojo had made the one weakness of the demon the one thing that he thought Vincent would never figure out. The scientist had thought that Vincent would be so completely destroyed as a man that he would never be able to feel love again. Hojo, for one of the few times in his life, had been wrong. Vincent was filled with complete exhilaration. "Let’s get to Midgar and get that son of a bitch."

"Okay, I may not love Cloud anymore, but there’s no reason to call him that!" Tifa narrowed her eyes.

"Not Cloud!" Vincent smiled widely. "Hojo."

"Oh…" Tifa looked sheepish. "Of course."

They quickly dressed in the clothes that Reno had dropped off. Their outfits were basically identical to what Vincent had worn on the last mission to the lab. If Tifa thought this was attractive on Vincent, it was even more so on her. The elastic fabric of the top accentuated her figure, and Vincent cocked an eyebrow.

Tifa caught his expression and smiled. "What? You like this?"

He blushed just slightly and hung his head. "Well, yeah."

She felt giddy at his attraction to her. Even after all they had been through together, he was still on some level very shy, and she loved it.

Vincent went over to where Cid had laid his gun down onto the dresser several days earlier. After messing with it for a moment, he strapped it to his hip and turned to Tifa. "Well, I’m ready."

Tifa came over to him. "Me too."

"All right." He nodded and opened the door. "Let’s go."

They headed up to the airfield, finding everyone going assembled near the control tower. Tseng was also there in a wheel chair, Dr. Arlin at his side.

Tseng smiled to see that his brother and Tifa had finally arrived. "Good morning."

Vincent smiled. "Hey."

"I see that Reno got your clothes to you." Tseng reciprocated the smile.

"Yes, thanks." Tifa replied.

"All right then." Tseng scanned the group. "You all know the plan, so I’ll make this short. The chopper is going to take you to Kalm. There will be a car waiting for you. Drive into Midgar and wait until nightfall. That way no one will notice as you climb from the office building to the Shin Ra building. From there you know what to do, you have received your orders."

Vincent felt his brother’s eyes upon him as the last sentence was spoken. He nodded slightly in response. The order to kill Cloud if he refused to go was fresh in his memory.

Tseng saw Vincent’s expression and knew the point had been made. "Okay, go."

Everyone nodded and started toward where the helicopter sat except for Tifa and Vincent. They remained for just a moment longer.

Tifa bent down and gave Tseng a short kiss. "You take care of yourself, okay? Don’t go having another attack while we’re gone."

"Yes ma’am." Tseng smiled. "I figure I’ll get some time to catch up with Jaras while you guys are away."

Vincent also bent down and gave his brother a short embrace. "Take care of Angel too. I know she’s really worried about us going."

"I will." Tseng wasn’t going to let Vincent know how worried he was about this mission as well. Something didn’t feel right to him, but they had to try to save Cloud. There was no other option. "You’ll be fine. Now get going."

"Okay." Vincent gave his brother one last smile. "See you in a few days."

With that, Tifa and Vincent ran over to where the helicopter was starting its engines.