In Another's Arms

Rayzor

Dislaimer: I own nada!

Chapter VI

He adjusted the weight of the injured woman in his arms but continued to walk toward the exit. The man in front of him was casting back glares every few steps, but they were otherwise content. Well, with the exception of the red-haired woman who had a gun held to the back of her head to ward off her "soldiers". They all glowered at Reno, who was the holder of the gun. Yuffie mumbled something incoherently with a pained grimace.

"Cure 2," Reeve said through clenched teeth. Hunter had shot him in the shoulder, missing only because the unfortunate man had tried to dodge the bullet.

Vincent nodded back at the man gratefully. They continued in silence until they got back to the front of the building. They found themselves near the outskirts of Wutai, where lower class people milled about. Reno, like Reeve, did not look down upon them, but were surprised to find anyone other than those who were friends with Yuffie. As a matter of fact, most of those "lower class" people seemed to smile at Laura rather than the injured ninja in Vincent's arms.

Reeve watched warily as everyone began to crowd around. This would not be pretty.

"Miss Laura!"

"Let her go, you fiends!"

"What's going on?"

Yuffie stirred, eyes opening slowly to see Vincent and beginning to hear the frantic voices. "V-Vinnie?"

"Hush, Yuffie," he replied, beginning to fear the crowd around them.

Laura revelled in the fame, in their adoring gazes. She felt Reno tense behind her and grinned, still cradling her crushed hand. "Scared, Turk?" she asked, her voice taunting him.

"Never."

A rock flew at them from somewhere to their left and startled Vincent slightly. Yuffie, catching the rock with ease, looked at it in confusion. Who were these people? Where were they? "Vincent, Reno, stop for a second. I want to talk to them."

Reno grabbed Laura's upper arm, gun in the small of her back, and looked back at his girlfriend in confusion. "Uh... That's probably not the smartest thing to do, Yuffs."

She ignored him and Vincent set her down, an arm around her to help keep her balance. She looked around at the people, her people, and shook her head slowly. Was this what they meant by "the other side of the tracks"? Surely Wutai did not have poverty... Everyone was supposed to be happy!

"I am Yuffie Kisaragi," she told them in her public speaking voice. "Tell me, how is it that I have never seen this part of town before?"

A man glared at her, but spoke. "I am Nathaniel. You haven't seen this part of town, 'cause you've never wanted to. You believe in fairy tales and neglect to admit that the ShinRa SOLDIERs ever lived here as well. Some of us have families." He wrapped his arm around the waist of a woman and placed a hand on the shoulder of his son.

Reno understood them, but felt the need to protect Yuffie from their vicious glares. "Back off," he snarled at Nathaniel.

The man looked closely at the red head before drawing back in surprise. "A Turk! And they always believed that a Turk could never show any emotions. Seems that you have been as affected as I once was."

Reno and the man shared an understanding as they both glanced at the ones they loved. "You know nothing of this Turk," the spit fire spat. "And if any of you so much as look at Yuffie wrong-"

"Re, that's enough," she said softly, limping toward the crowd. "What is it that you would all like from me?"

"Enough food for our families!"

"A roof over our heads!"

"Something other than constant war in our streets!"

She felt overwhelmed, but refused to move from her spot. "Then why have you not gone to Lord Godo about this?"

A woman laughed. All eyes were on Laura. She stood up straight, emerald eyes on the naive princess. "And have him turn away from us once again? My friends, shall we allow this sweet talking princess get her way again? Never! Listen to me-"

"You are running out of options, Laura," a voice spoke from the crowd. Reno and Reeve stared at the man to whom the voice belonged, their mouths open in surprise. "I had nearly given up on tracking you down, then it dawned on me. Where better for a woman like you to start her mission than a small town, easy to get people to revolt."

Yuffie smiled softly at the bald man. "Hiya, Rude. I was wonderin' when you'd get ta Wutai, just wasn't expecting you here."

He nodded to his friend. "I have been looking for Laura for awhile... She is as corrupt as Sephiroth." He turned to the people, eyes masked by sunglasses. He began to say soemthing, but closed his mouth and shook his head in defeat.

"That's okay, Rude. I know how ya hate public speeches." Everyone looked over to see the blonde Elena. She grinned merrily. "Laura has lied to you all! She was intent on taking over Wutai, then Mideel, then the next place... Eventually, she wished to be like a goddess of our planet."

Nathaniel looked to Laura in confusion. "What is this that they speak of?"

She glared daggers at everyone. "I am one of you!"

"She is lying," a woman said, walking from the building. She held the hands of her sons and looked directly at Nathaniel. "She wanted only to take over the world. Lady Kisaragi will help us."

Yuffie began to say something, but fell unconscious instead. Reno caught her.

End... No, really... It is... Think I'm kidding?

Okay, so I've got the Epilogue... So, here it is...

Yuffie jogged her normal route up to the hand of Da Chao, where Reno was waiting with a picnic lunch. She smiled. But she still felt so odd, not having Vincent there...

Think of me
Think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me once in awhile
Please promise me you'll try

Crimson eyes watched the horizon in front of him. He dared not look back, even though he knew that she would not be watching him. He wished only that they had been so that he would have had those memories to keep him company in the dark abyss of his mind.

When you find that once again
You long to take your heartBack and be free -
If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me

Laura glared at the guards through barred doors. She really wished that at least Hunter had made it out alive, that way she knew her mysterious friend that sent him. The guards were not even ones that she knew by name...

We never said our love was evergreen
Or as unchanging as the sea
But if you can still remember
Stop and think of me

Reno noticed how oddly Yuffie had been acting recently and thought he knew why. It was as he had feared and he knew what he would do to help her.

Think of all the things
We've shared and seen
Don't think about the way
Things might have been

She sat in disbelief as he explained his motives to her. How can one explain something that is so confusing?

Think of me
Think of me waking, silent and resigned
Imagine me, trying to hard
To put you from my mind

So, she was on a chocobo, riding as fast as the bird would go.

Recall those days
Look back on all those times
Think of the things we'll never do -
There will never be a day
When I won't think of you...

She knocked on the heavy oak door, only for it to open and reveal a confused Vincent Valentine. "I lied," she admitted, shivvering in the bitter Kalm winds.

He helped her inside before looking at her oddly. "You lied?" he asked.

She nodded. "I... I don't love Reno, Vincent."

.Fin.

RayZor: Hope that was confusing... I meant it to be! Tee-hee!

Surka: Gah! So she chose-

Dracon: Yup...

RayZor: So, I lied about the romance fluffy stuff, eh? From a Reffie to a Yuffentine! Gotta love me!

Thanks to:

xXxDarkMessengerxXx

navi the rabid pixie

Tael 2008

Banana peel

Evil is Sexy slash Embrace-the-Darkness

Neon Raine

Crystal Snowflakes

Neko-Yuff16

G.U.L.P.

QueenOfTheShadowFangs

Gining

DemonSurfer

Ari Uzuki

If I forgotted someone, I'm sorry!

Song and lyrics from: "The Phantom of the Opera"

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webster

Lyrics by Charles Hart

RayZor: If you like musicals, or if you're in the mood for a heated romance, watch "The Phantom of the Opera" starring Gerard Butler,Emmy Rossum, and Patrick Wilson. Gerard Butler is a superb Phantom.

Dracon: I liked it...

Surka: Pretty music...

RayZor: and they did their own singing, save for Minnie Driver, who had Margaret Preece sing instead. Either way, it's wonderful. That's where I stole the song, "Think Of Me" from.

Hope you all enjoyed. By the way, there will not be an alternate ending, since I've run out of ideas. Look for my random one-shots!

-RayZor, Dracon, & Surka