Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Reason ❯ The Morning After ( Chapter 2 )

It was Tifa who awoke first.

 

Dark lashes fluttered open as the alarm went off. Through practice and precision, she turned it off in an instant; the noise was enough to give a headache.

 

She sat and stretched, welcoming the golden rays that began to filter through the red and white curtains at the window. For some reason, she had a lopsided smile on her face. This was the best sleep she'd had in months!

 

Movement and a low murmur drew her attention to the man on the other side of the bed. She looked at him in disbelief. Long ebony locks spilled across the pillows obscuring a pale face.

 

`It wasn't a dream?'

 

She turned and laid on her side, propping on an elbow resting her head on the palm of her bent arm for support. She reached over to him, brushing away the obsidian strands that blocked his face. For minutes, she watched as he slept. It was, after all, the most she'd seen of him in a long while.

 

Vincent slept on his back, with one arm bent so that it rested on the pillow above his head. The other rested against his stomach. She watched the rise and fall of his partially exposed chest with mild fascination as she listened to him breathe. As her gaze travelled to his face, she sighed inwardly.

 

To her, he was perfect. His skin was a bit pale, but that was of no consequence. His brows were not so thin as to be called feminine, but not too thick either. His eyes, even when closed were beautiful, accentuated by long lashes and a slight slant which gave a hint of Wutian heritage. When open, his unusual ruby depths could see right into her soul. His nose was neither thin nor big, ending in a definite point. His lips…

 

She shook her head slightly to clear these thoughts. There was no point in dissecting him. He was perfect; no statue or painting she had ever seen could even begin to compare to the beauty of the man that slept before her. He was an angel.

 

A slight frown worked its way up to her lips.

 

`He could have anyone he wants…'

 

`Any woman he wants…'

 

She turned her back to him, sitting up and throwing her legs over the side of the bed. She couldn't wake him.

 

“I'll wait until he wakes up. After all it's only fair, I guess, if he really wasn't fooling around.” She looked out the window.

“Right?”

 

`What if he were fooling around?' a voice in her head asked her.

 

“Then I'd find out.” She whispered in response.

 

`And? So? Then what?'

 

She sighed sharply. “I don't know!”

 

The sound of Vincent shifting brought her back to her senses.

 

She slapped her forehead. “I'm such an idiot, talking to myself.” She stood, donning her white bathrobe, and went to the bathroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The scuffle of feet and the rustle of grass were heard as he approached the cliff face.

 

`The things I have to do…' he thought as he continued up the steep hill, adjusting the heavy bag on his back. He was walking through a dense forest, the tall grass slowing his progress as he journeyed. Even here he could hear the sound of waves crashing against the rock far ahead and below.

 

The trees began to thin until he was standing in a small field of grass which extended to the top of the cliff. Scanning the area quickly, he laid on the ground and crawled toward the woman who already laid at the edge, watching some event far below with binoculars.

 

The full moon hung with a veil in the starless sky as he reached her side. A strong breeze, as would be expected so close to the sea, whipped the long grass and her short blond hair. He could feel his ponytail pulling in the breeze behind him. Like he, she was dressed in camouflage, in case anyone were to be watching the cliff. For moments both were silent as they lay in the grass, the strong smell of salt assaulting their noses as the sound of rustling grass and crashing waves filled the air.

 

“You're late.” She said simply as he donned his binoculars.

 

“I was held up.” He responded.

 

The cloud that partially blocked the moon continued its drift across the sky, allowing the two below to take full advantage of its light. It reflected off the waves, shining in slivers of silver like a million dancing Christmas lights. A beach started at the base of the cliff to the right, its silvery line stretching north as far as the eye could see. He sighed, thinking of someone who would love to see such a pretty sight.

 

He missed her, and he knew he was hurting her at this very moment.

 

`Soon,' he thought as the target came into view, `soon.'

 

A small boat sped up to the beach. Two men were aboard, their long black hair blowing in the night breeze. Another figure awaited them on the beach, holding a briefcase. Even with binoculars his features were indiscernible, but from his height it was likely a man. His long black trench coat and broad rimmed hat hid everything from view.

 

The boat stopped at the shore, its two occupants slashing through shallow water as they approached the third. The taller of the two walked a few steps behind, keeping one hand in his coat at all times. A large mole marked the centre of his forehead.

 

“The guard?” the man on the cliff asked.

 

“Yes,” his companion responded. “I'll handle him.”

 

He turned his attention to his target as they aimed their sniper rifles. The shorter man walked with his back slightly hunched, no doubt from age. Thick black-framed glasses covered beady black eyes. His mouth was twisted in a crooked grin.

 

Through his rifle's scope, he saw the two men meet, shaking hands as the guard looked on. The third man handed the suitcase to the other in exchange for a small package.

 

He aimed for the older man's head.

 

It was time.

 

The cross in his scope shifted slightly to account for the wind and distance as slender fingers brushed the trigger.

 

“Hey!” a voice called from the trees.

 

He started as he pulled the trigger. Ruby eyes widened in shock. Had he missed? Looking through the scope, he saw his target go down.

 

“Shit!” the woman cried as she abandoned her rifle at her side. Turning on her back, she drew two Desert Eagles and began firing at people as they came from the trees. A small ball of dirt hit him in the face as he turned to his partner.

 

“Elena?” he asked in concern.

 

She continued to pick off whoever came through the trees. “Damn it Valentine don't worry about me!” she shouted.

 

Vincent turned again to the beach. The man he shot was gone, most likely in the boat that was now speeding away. He saw two men aboard, one standing, the other sitting. The third man was nowhere to be seen.

 

He began shooting at the vehicle, lest it get away. He assumed a bullet must have hit the engine, for the boat exploded into a shower of splinters as red and orange flames licked at the dark sky.

 

The gunfire on the cliff ended.

 

“Elena?” he asked as he scanned the sea and beach for survivors.

 

“I'm fine,” she breathed from beside him. “Did you get him?”

 

“See for yourself.” He stated, giving her his binoculars. Hers were destroyed in the shootout.

 

“Where's the third guy?”

 

“He got away. The other two were on the boat.”

 

“Let's get down there.”

 

They ran down the hill with guns drawn, in case any more men lurked in the forest. After making their way to the beach, they split up and began searching for the trio.

 

The breeze was somewhat weaker than on the cliff, but was still quite strong. Now at the shore, one could tell how rough the water really was. The sea was littered with jutting rocks, pointed like thorns against the sky. The water washed viciously against the shore, settling higher and higher as high tide set in. He frowned. It would take an expert to avoid hitting the rocks; it was possible they crashed trying to get away.

 

Elena ran up to Vincent as he knelt to pick up something.

 

“He's gone. Could be anywhere. But at least the real threat is gone.” She paused to breathe. “I already called cleanup.”

 

She supported her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. “What's that?” she asked, motioning towards his hands.

 

“You don't wanna know. Trust me.” He said, turning away so she could not see.

 

“Don't mess with me Vincent! Show me the damn thing!”

 

He sighed, turning so she could see. In his hands he held a left arm. It appeared to be blown off midway between shoulder and elbow. The hand was gloved, the torn remnants of black sleeves hanging on the arm.

 

“Holy shit Vincent!” She stood weakly, cringing at the sight. “I gottta get a smoke.”

 

“I thought you quit?” he asked, slightly amused at her unease. In their line of work death was commonplace; he himself had dealt with much worse.

 

“Well,” she added, disgust written plainly across her face, “I just started back.”

 

“Congratulations.” His smile widened as he pointed to the burning ashes that still floated in the air. “There goes your lighter.”

 

“You're sick.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crimson orbs opened for the first time that day. Vincent sat up on the bed, scanning the room silently as his mind cleared the memories of the last mission. He smiled. Messing with the new people was fun.

 

His mind drifted back to the present.

 

`It's been a while since I last woke in this bed…' When he arrived home for the past few months, she would already have been asleep. Rather than risk waking her up, he took to sleeping in the guest room. He would never be home by the time she woke up.

 

A smile crept to his lips as he recalled the `events' of the night before.

 

`It's been a while since I'd last done that too.'

 

He closed his eyes, reliving the last night in his mind. It began having a very… interesting… effect on his body, so he looked towards the other side of the large bed…

 

`She's gone?'

 

The sound of water running reached his sensitive ears. She was in the shower.

 

His smile turned into a full grin.

 

`She's in the shower…'

 

“Hmm…” he murmured, stroking his clean-shaven chin, “this has certain… possibilities…”

 

The smile fell from his lips as his plans for the morning filtered into his mind.

 

“I wonder if she'll hate me…” He hung his head low as he stared at the carpeted floor, hiding his features behind a curtain of black silk.

 

“What am I saying? Of course she'll hate me. Who wouldn't?” He sighed. “I don't deserve her, any other woman wouldn't have put up with my constant absence.” He was almost at the concert's venue when he remembered the job. He sighed once more.

 

`And they definitely wouldn't put up with my reason for the absence.'

 

He slipped his feet into a pair of bedroom slippers, spying the boxers he discarded the night before.

 

`She didn't even complain. Not even a question, and last night…'

 

 

 

 

“I love you Vincent, always.”

 

 

 

 

“You have the right to know Tifa. In the next month, I swear I'll make things right.”

 

He walked to the bathroom door, adjoined to the master bedroom, and raised his hand to knock.

 

Before he hit the door, however, his cell phone began to ring. He frowned. It was his `special' cell phone. He sprinted to his pants and answered on the third ring.

 

“I'm supposed to have the next month off!” he shouted into the device.

 

“Relax, man, is that any way to greet a comrade?”

 

Vincent narrowed his eyes as a deep frown etched itself on his face.

 

“Cloud?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Why did you call me? What if Tifa had answered the phone?”

 

There was a noticeably long silence on the other end of the line. “She's still upset?”

 

Vincent sighed audibly. “I don't know, but she avoids talking about you.”

 

“That happened three years ago!”

 

“Yes, right before we met. But remember Cloud, you left her for another woman.”

 

“Yeah but… Aeris is…”

 

“I don't really care!” Vincent snapped. “Tifa and I have something to resolve and the last thing I need is for her to be reminded of you!”

 

“Ouch… I guess you're upset too. Look, I didn't call to be shouted at.”

 

“Oh?” Vincent raised a dark eyebrow in question. “Then you called for an actual reason?”

 

“Ha ha. Very funny Valentine. You never gave in a report of what happened last night.” He laughed. “By the way, Elena says you're sick.”

 

Dark brows furrowed in frustration. “Darn, forgot about that.”

 

Cloud nodded. Then, realising Vincent couldn't see him, spoke.

 

“Yeah, so you better get your butt over here and do it before you start sipping coconuts. Rufus is pissed enough as it is.”

 

A smirk formed on Vincent's handsome face. “Then I guess you'll have to do without me.”

 

“What? Did you hear what I just said?”

 

“I heard you Cloud.” He sighed. “I'll give my report, then I'm gone. I only have a month to fix things. I'm not wasting the opportunity.”

 

“Fine, apparently they sent a guy to replace you for the time being from the Northern Continent. You know, an unfamiliar face.”

 

“Ok… good.” Vincent responded softly.

 

“So, Vinny, what's the prob with…”

 

“Goodbye Cloud.” He cut in as he turned the phone off. He looked across the room to the bathroom door. “Sorry, Tifa.” he said as he ran out the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tifa closed her eyes, leaning back onto a wall in the shower as she pondered over the night before…

 

Finishing the last notes of her song, she bowed to a booming applause. She smiled and waved at the audience as she walked offstage. Despite the calls for encore, she was too tired and depressed to go onstage again.

 

Throughout the entire song she searched for him.

 

The one person she needed most was not there.

 

Again.

 

“Tifa!” a voice called from somewhere in the distance.

 

“Tifa?” The voice was becoming clearer.

 

“Huh?” she responded, realising she had just been spoken to.

 

The Wutian woman who stood before her was slightly younger than she, with shoulder-length black hair pulled into an elegant bun. Dressed in jewellery and a royal blue evening gown, one would never guess that it was the same energetic girl who loved getting herself into trouble and dancing the hokey pokey in addiction to all things cute and fuzzy. She looked almost… dignified.

 

“Tifa, that was great! I'm gonna make a lotta money outta you!”

 

Tifa sighed. More than anything else, her manager loved money.

 

“Yuffie, don't you mean we?” she asked to the girl who began to jump up and down excitedly before her as she rattled on about her plans for her newest cash flow.

 

`So much for dignified,' Tifa thought as she watched her friend.

 

“I wanna boat, some ponies…” she blinked, looking at Tifa as though she appeared out of nowhere. “Oh yeah, our money, whatever.” She said dismissively before she went on.

 

“Oh yeah, I can't wait to show you off at my party tomorrow!”

 

 

Tifa smiled as she watched Yuffie's excitement. Her smile faded as her mind drifted back to a raven-haired businessman. She ran to her room, trying to hide her tears from Yuffie.

 

It began to rain.

 

She stumbled through the door to her room; the world around her a blur of colours due to her tears. None of the other times were like this. She took disappointment in stride, even when she wasn't told why. She never complained. But this time was important to her, and she reminded him of it everyday; he had promised to come, promised that he'd be there to support her.

 

She sighed. `I guess I should never take a promise sent by text seriously.'

 

`But is was from him…'

 

`He promised that he'd never hurt me…'

 

She fell onto the floor, all her worries weighing heavily on her shoulders as she broke down in tears.

 

Minutes later, Yuffie entered the room to find her friend in tears on the floor. Tifa sat with her back to the door, and did not realise she was not alone until a slender hand landed on her shoulder. She looked up as Yuffie sat in front of her, sniffling quietly as she hugged her.

 

Yuffie held her close, allowing her to cry her heart out on her shoulder. She had never been more grateful to Yuffie; no matter how immature she may be at times, she was always ready to help those that mattered to her. She was her support after the first time, and she knew her friend would stick by her if this time came to the worst.

 

“I am an idiot,” she sniffed. “I actually believed he was coming.”

 

“Hey Tifa,” she said softly, “maybe he has a good reason this time.”

 

Tifa sighed as she pulled away from her friend. “He's never had a good reason before. He's hardly ever given a reason.” She wiped her tears on the back of a hand.

 

Yuffie reached to a nearby table and retrieved a small packet of tissues, handing it to her friend.

 

“Thanks,” Tifa whispered, taking the packet. “I feel as though I don't mean anything to him anymore.” She sighed. “When we were dating, I never asked for anything…”

 

“I know…” she responded softly.

 

“I know you didn't like that. You think that I should've made him work harder for it. But I don't care for material things. All I want is him. All this…” she waved a hand at the room, full of posters and expensive jewellery, clothes and cosmetics, “all this means nothing without him. I…” her shoulders began to quiver as she put a tissue to her eyes. “All I can think is that I've done something wrong, and I don't want any of this if I can't have him.”

 

“Don't blame yourself Tifa. Don't talk like that. You tried to make time for him, remember? He's never home.” Yuffie sighed, a sad thought forming in her mind. She opened her mouth, but stopped before voicing the thought.

 

Tifa was oblivious to the action as she stared at her hands, but had the same thought. “Maybe he's fooling around.” She sat silently for a few moments. She looked up at Yuffie, her face streaked with tears that ruined her makeup. “What's wrong with me Yuffie? Why do I have such rotten luck with men? Why do I always believe their lies?”

 

“Hey, we don't know that. He could, just be a workaholic.” She sighed. “Why not ask him? Confront him face to face Tifa, and find out the reason.”

 

Tifa closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she tried to stop crying. “You're right. Crying here is just pathetic. I have to confront him. I'll do it the next time I see him. Thanks Yuffie.”

 

Yuffie smiled weakly, standing as she pulled Tifa to her feet. “That's what friends are for. Let me take you home. You're in no condition to drive.”

 

Tifa nodded as she was led outside the room.

 

“By the way, I think I'll clear all your appointments for the next few weeks, and give you some time to relax.”

 

“But…”

 

Yuffie shook her head. “No buts. I won't let you try to drown yourself in work and avoid this. Besides, it won't do my wallet, or you any good if you suddenly had a nervous breakdown.” She said with a grin.

 

Outside, the light shower shifted into a torrential downpour. As Yuffie drove through the dark streets, thunder boomed throughout the heavens as lightning illuminated the sky.

 

She cried all the way home.

 

 

 

 

 

Dark lashes fluttered open and chocolate irises looked around the room. Tifa sighed as she turned the water off.

 

“I guess it's time. If he isn't up by now then its time for a wakeup call.”

 

Tifa left the bathroom to hear an engine starting. Running to the window, she sees Vincent's black BMW race away from the house.

 

She sat on the bed, her elbows on her knees as her hands cupped her face.

 

`So much for confessions. I guess things are back to normal now.'

 

The phone began to ring. She dove to the other side of the bed and answered it, hoping that it was her husband calling to explain his rapid departure.

 

`Stop it!' her mind reprimanded her sharply.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hi.” came a baritone voice as smooth as velvet. “ Long time no see Tifa.”

 

She put a hand to her mouth to stifle a gasp. “It's you? It's really you! I don't believe it… you have to give me your address so I can see you!”

 

“I'm at my house. Where else would I be? Don't come now though, I have some… business, to attend to. Why don't you come by for lunch?”

 

“Sounds good. See ya then!”

 

“Yes,” responded the caller as he hung up the phone. “I'm looking forward to seeing you again.”

 

 

 

 

 

A/N Ah! Suspense! What is Vincent really up to? Who is Tifa's friend?

 

I made this chapter shorter so I could give it to you. Sorry for the long wait and all, hope this makes up for it. R&R?

 

Ok, so not much happens, but you get some clarification in this chapter.