Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Guns and Roses ❯ Surprise ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Well, that chapter was a little rough. Hopefully things'll get better.

 

Disclaimer: FF VII and all the characters herein belong to Square Enix, except Liana (I made her ^_^).

 

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Tifa walked slowly down the sidewalk. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. She felt tears blur her eyes as she shook her head. She had been such a fool. She knew she could never be everything that Cloud wanted, and she didn't know why she had even tried. She knew she loved Cloud, and she always would, but she also knew he didn't love her like he said he did. There was someone else. Someone that he would do anything for, and she had just wanted to keep him, thinking that maybe it was just an infatuation and that eventually he'd get over it.

 

But she knew she'd been beaten. The other girl held Cloud's mind and soul captive. He was totally fascinated by her. And Tifa supposed she could understand. She'd had her share of relationships where she didn't feel anything for the guy.

 

She sniffled and wiped at her tears. I've just never had feelings for a guy that didn't have feelings for me, too, she thought sadly. She paused on the corner as she came to an intersection. She glanced up and down the street, looking for cars, before stepping out into the road. She was almost half-way across the street, when suddenly a bright light blinded her. She turned to look toward it, only to see a car coming right for her.

 

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Vincent leaned back in his chair, yawning as he stretched. Damn paperwork, he thought, glaring at the folders on his desk. He set down his pen, deciding he'd had enough for today. He was going home. Or, at least he was leaving the office. It would be here tomorrow, along with all the paperwork.

 

He got to his feet, closing his laptop. He slid it inside a brief case, closed it, then walked toward the mahogany office door. He slowly pulled the door open, looking around the empty lobby. He was surprised to see his secretary, Liana, still sitting at her desk, working away. He walked toward her, causing her to look up.

 

She glanced up at him, taking off her glasses and running a hand through her dark brown hair. “Mr. Valentine,” she said quietly, her voice tired.

 

“Liana,” he said, setting his brief case on the edge of her desk. He watched her. “What are you still doing here? It's late.”

 

She nodded. “I know,” she said, looking down at the work on her desk. “I just wanted to get some of this done so that I wouldn't be so far behind tomorrow.”

 

He nodded, feeling a smile come to his lips. So, I'm not the only one who procrastinates, he thought. “Well, are you headed out soon?” he asked.

 

She nodded, rubbing her eyes with her hand. “Yeah,” she said. “I have to if I want to catch the last bus.”

 

Vincent's eyes narrowed in confusion. “You take the bus to work?” he asked. He tilted his head. “With what I pay you, you should buy yourself a car.”

 

She giggled as she looked up at him. “I use my paycheck to put my little boy through school,” she said softly.

 

“Ah, I see,” Vincent said, suddenly feeling pity for his secretary. She was a single mother, doing the best she could to take care of her child. He suddenly felt the need to do her a favor. “Well, why don't I give you ride home?” he said. He watched as her green eyes looked at him in surprise.

 

“Oh, no,” she said quickly, “you don't have to do that.”

 

He smiled warmly. “I want to,” he said, taking out his keys. “Besides, I would feel bad if you had to take the bus this late at night.” He started toward the lobby door. “Meet me in front of the downstairs lobby, okay?”

 

She stared at him, seemingly confused, before she nodded slowly. “Alright,” she conceded quietly.

 

He nodded, smiling again. “Good girl,” he said. He listened to her laugh softly as he left the office lobby. He walked to the elevator and pressed the button, waiting for it to arrive. Once it did, he got inside and pressed the button for the first floor.

 

He tapped his foot, listening to the corny elevator music playing through the speaker. He made a mental note to ask the janitor to change it tomorrow. Once the elevator stopped, he stepped into the downstairs lobby. He glanced around, enjoying the way it looked at night.

 

The windows were positioned just so that they cast a perfect view of the sun or moon, no matter where it was in the sky. Tonight the moon was in the south east sky, and it was full. It cast its pale light through the windows and onto the floor, creating a walkway to the front doors. Vincent followed it into the cool night. He took a deep breath as soon as he stepped outside.

 

He loved the cool weather, especially on clear nights in the city. He was grateful that there was a nice breeze blowing through the city, lifting the smog and giving him a clear view of the sky. He was sure if he looked hard enough he could probably see some stars in the deep sky. He walked to his car, thinking of how things had changed over the last century. He knew it was silly, as science and medicine had come a long way, but sometimes he wished he could go back to a simpler time and place. Back to a time when the only things people worried about were getting to church on time and making sure the horses were fed.

 

He sighed, leaning against his Lincoln Zephyr. He vaguely wondered what his good friend Hojo was up to. He rolled his eyes at the thought. Hojo would always be a bastard in his mind. Thanks to him and his idiotic science experiments, they both had seemingly been doomed to eternal youth. Vincent wasn't sure how he did it, but for nearly a hundred years now he had not aged a bit. He still appeared the age he had been when Hojo had `accidentally' spilled the bubbling goo he called Mako on him. Not that it had been an accident.

 

Since then he had lived through more wars and tragedies that he cared to recall. The only thing that stayed the same in the chaotic changing of the world was his love for the color red. He glanced at his brand new Zephyr, admiring the crimson paint job. It was sleek and shiny and he could see his reflection in it. He smiled. Automobiles sure had come a long way over the years. He could remember when Henry Ford built the first car. He could also remember how the general population had laughed at him.

 

He felt a smirk on his lips. Henry knew what he was talking about. And he admired him for that. Ford had stuck to his guns, and now his family was one of the wealthiest families in the world. He chuckled. Stuck to his guns, he thought. Just what I would have done. But we're not living in the Wild West any more, now are we? He was beginning to recall his life as it had been before Hojo. He always did when he wasn't preoccupied with something else.

 

He glanced up, coming out of his musings, when the sound of Prada on marble reached his ears. He watched his secretary walk toward him, pulling her coat around her shoulders. She gave a little smile when she caught his gaze.

 

“Thank you so much, Mr. Valentine,” she said as she walked up to him. “You don't know how grateful I am.”

 

He returned her smile, unlocking his car. “I'm glad to be of assistance,” he said. He slid inside, putting the key in the ignition. “So, tell me where we're headed.”

 

She thought for a second. “You can take the South Road to Strawberry” she said, thinking out loud. “That'll take you to Star Lake Subdivision, and I live in the little apartments there.”

 

Vincent nodded, starting the car. He flinched when the radio began blaring hardcore, heavy metal rock. He turned it down quickly, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry `bout that,” he said quietly.

 

She giggled. “Were you having a rough morning?” she asked.

 

He glanced at her as he pulled out of the parking lot. “You could say that,” he said.

 

“Well, I don't mind if that's what you want to listen to,” she said, smiling and shaking her head. “I can't seem to get my son to turn that stuff off.”

 

He smiled. “So, then perhaps its time for a change,” he said, pressing a number on the radio. He turned it up a little as country music flowed softly through the speakers. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Better?”

 

She nodded, smiling appreciatively.

 

They rode along in silence, Liana listening to Vincent hum softly to the music. She had to admit that he sounded nice. She stared out the window, watching the city lights roll by. Once they were close enough, she gave him directions to her apartment. She sighed when he pulled up to the curb outside it.

 

“Here we are,” she said quietly, looking out the window at it. She picked up her bag, opening the door. She looked back at Vincent. “Thank you again, Mr. Valentine. You're a life saver.”

 

He smiled, recalling a truth to that statement. “It's not a problem,” he said. “See you tomorrow.” He watched her get out.

 

She nodded to him, flashing him a smile, then turned and walked into the apartment complex.

 

Vincent sighed as he pulled away. He grimaced at the radio. He loved country radio, he really did, but he just wasn't in the mood for it right now. He hit the CD button, smiling gratefully as the heavy metal rock started up again. He turned back toward the better end of town, heading toward his enormous and empty mansion. After he got off the free way, he was drove slowly through his neighborhood, admiring the other houses.

 

He was about a block from his own house, when a shadow suddenly flitted in front of him. He turned his gaze on the street, thinking it was just a dog or cat. He was shocked when it began to shape, turning into a human. He slammed on the brakes at the last minute, coming to a crawl before unavoidably hitting the person. He instantly put the car in park, leaping out. He ran around the front, and was surprised to see a young woman, sitting on the ground.

 

“Oh shit,” he said, kneeling next to her. “I'm so sorry.” His eyes were worried. “Are you alright?”

 

She nodded slowly, staring at him. As he took in the look on her face, he began to realize she was in shock. He held out a hand to her. “Can I help you up?”

 

She took his hand, letting him help her to her feet.