Okay, so here's the rest of the fic. I just want to point out that the adult scene is a little more explicit than I'm used to writing--not by much though, so don't freak out on me, I'm kinda trying to get more practice in that department, and I want to see if I still got it. This chapter is smut and fluff, so be prepared for the sappy, happy ending, alright? Good. I won't keep you any longer!

Warnings: language and the adult scene here at the beginning. Don't read it if it makes you uncomfortable, please. You've been warned!

………………………………

A New Beginning

………………………………

Her hands were clutching at red fabric, his digging into the skin of her bare waist. Vincent pressed her against the wall next to her bed as his lips sought hers, as he memorized the taste of her kiss, the scent of her hair, the silk of her skin. He should've been able to stop himself. He knew that it was very unlike him to allow himself this weakness, but there had always been something about Yuffie that just scraped at his nerves and wore at his patience. She had been the only person capable of making him feel protective and annoyed at the same time. And she was right. She wasn't a child anymore, especially with the sounds she was making, and the way her body felt under his fingertips.

Her hands clutched at his shoulders, a couple of the long strands tangling with her fingers. His own hands were moving up her back, slipping underneath the fabric of her shirt and Yuffie did nothing to stop him. Her head fell back and she gasped breathlessly as his lips sought her jaw, her throat, her collarbone. Her fingers sought the buckles of his cloak and deftly undid them, pushing the heavy fabric off and hearing it fall behind him. She shivered in anticipation and worked more buckles on the warm leather, her heart rate increasing when he didn't stop her or draw back muttering about sin and what was best for her.

The leather of his glove slid over her stomach and skimmed her shorts, undoing the button and then the zipper as she looked him in the eyes and her cheeks colored in embarrassment. He paused and made to pull away, but her hand on his wrist stopped him. "Don't stop now," she whispered.

"Do you know what waters we are threading?" Vincent murmured, fingertips running over her stomach lightly. "Have you… done this before?"

Yuffie stared at him and finally shook her head. "But there's no one else I would rather share this with. Even if it's only once," she said honestly. She saw him warring with himself and could already feel her hope dying. "Kiss me, Vincent."

Vincent stared into her eyes. He wanted to touch her more than anything in that moment. But… would he be able to offer her more afterwards? He didn't want to hurt her anymore. Maybe… maybe if they were together, things would settle down and Yuffie would want to move on… without him. He slipped gentle fingers into the waistband of her panties and lower as he leaned in to kiss her. Yuffie arched into him as his fingers slipped inside her, as her body shuddered with the pleasure and the pain of his intrusion.

He swallowed hard as heat engulfed his leather clad hand and couldn't help the shudder of anticipation. It had been so long since the last time he had touched a woman this way. Since… well, he didn't want to dwell on that. Not now, when he had Yuffie in his arms, and her lips pressed to his in a hot kiss. The small moans coming from her throat were setting him on edge, and he could feel sweat beading on his forehead as her hips moved in rhythm with his seeking fingers.

Then she pulled back from his lips and reached for the buckle that held her own shirt before she pulled the purple material over and off. Vincent stared down at her, withdrawing his hands, and found that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Never mind the fact that she was nothing like other women, or that she was far smaller than most. She was perfect.

She reached towards his clothes and Vincent watched her as she pushed away leather, as the scars on his chest and arms became visible. Yuffie sighed sadly, and traced as many as she could in a gentle touch. Then she reached the spot on his chest where the protomateria had rested before Chaos had gone back to the planet. Her lips skimmed over that spot and Vincent held back a shiver as she continued to uncover and inspect. When his pants and boots were gone, it was her turn to stare.

"Leviathan, you're hot," she said with a quirky grin, much like the way she had done before their friendship had suffered because of him. Her shyness and embarrassment were gone in the heat of the moment and the awe of having him nude in front of her. She wasn't afraid of what was to come, or of the fact that maybe Vincent would run away after he'd taken her innocence. She'd get to the problem once it presented itself.

Vincent smiled faintly and drew her into his arms to kiss her gently, laying her down on the bed and kissing every single exposed part of her body. Her breath shook as it left her when long fingered hands drew down her shorts and her panties. Then he parted her thighs and his mouth was there, tender and coaxing her into a pleasurable and feverish state. Until her hands clutched at the sheets and a strangled moan left her lips as her body jerked and shuddered in bliss.

Ruby hued eyes came into her line of vision and she watched him blink at her, his own face a little flushed and desire clear in those usually cool eyes. It didn't fail to surprise her to know that she had put that look in his eyes. She, the loud ninja girl, often called a brat, and annoying. She reached a hand up and behind his neck to bring his lips down to hers, her eyes sliding closed as she felt his body, warm and strong above hers. The taste of her was on his lips, and even though it creeped her out a bit, it wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Are you sure you wish to continue?" he murmured, pushing away a few silky strands from her damp forehead. In answer, she shifted and wrapped her legs around his waist, watching his eyes go back to that smoldering red as they pressed more intimately. "It will hurt," he said, breathing a little heavy.

Yuffie nodded and felt him begin to ease in, little by little, past discomfort and straight to pain. He kissed her, trying to distract her, his hands wandering and touching specific spots to make her breathing quicken as he finally settled inside her completely. The pain mingled with the pleasure and Yuffie bit her lip, a small cry escaping her as they both waited for her to adjust.

Even as he began to move gently and slowly it hurt, making her muscles clench in an effort to adjust. "Relax," he crooned, his lips moving over her collarbone and one hand caressing her breasts. "The pain should fade."

Yuffie tried to calm her quick breathing and once she was able to relax, found that Vincent was right. She could feel him inside of her, touching every single space and stretching her to the limit. Then he moved and the sensations were anything but painful. Her body felt as if it had been set on fire, from the place where their bodies were one, to the top of her head and the tips of her toes. It felt amazing. She blinked hazily and watched his face as he moved, as felt every sensation as if for the same time too. Time seemed to stop as their eyes met, as her heartbeat increased, as her lips parted to whisper his name. She didn't want it to end. It would be far too painful once it was over and he decided he needed to leave to think.

Vincent kissed her, watching the resignation in her eyes, even as her face flushed and her body reacted to the pleasure. He wanted to start over. He just… needed to know if she would wait for him to get his act together. He didn't know what to think of the fact that she had offered him her virginity without so much as a second thought. He wanted to be sure that he could make her happy, but he needed time to allow her into his rusted heart. Letting a long sigh escape him as his movements increased, he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly, his heart racing as she answered him so easily, without any doubt.

He could understand now why she had been so angry. He could feel it in her kiss, in the way her body responded to his. She was… in love with him. And maybe in some part he had thought long buried, he had come to return the feeling. Vincent watched her body shimmer, followed the arch of her back as she pressed herself closer to him, and heard his name release in a loud call as her body clenched rhythmically, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

Just the sight of her was enough to bring him, a shuddering breath leaving him as his body surrendered to the feeling and the pleasure, white lights bursting behind his closed eyes. Her arms held him tightly as he fell forward against her, their breathing quick and harsh in the silence of the room.

Yuffie bit back the emotional tears and ran gentle hands through his long, silky hair. "Thank you," she whispered.

Vincent smiled against her throat and moved over to kiss her jaw, her cheek, her lips. This hadn't been the way he had wanted to fix the rift, but there was the beginning of a bridge between them now. He just had to ask her if she would be willing to wait for him. "I will… cherish this night forever," he murmured, kissing her closed eyes, her nose, her lips again.

Yuffie's eyes opened and she graced him with a smile. "I can go back to Wutai now," she said, a little sad.

Vincent pulled back to look at her and couldn't describe the feeling in his chest. She would… leave? "You will come back?"

"I have to help my dad return Wutai back to its splendor. He won't force me to take over, or to marry as is custom, but I did make a promise to help him rebuild and make it all better," said Yuffie quietly, running her hands through his long, thick hair as she had dreamed of doing thousands of times before. He was in her arms now, and she was saying goodbye before he turned and walked away from her first. It would be less painful this way, and hopefully, in time, they would meet again and be friends once more.

Vincent sighed and hugged her to him gently. "I… wish you the best," he said, finding it hard to tell her the words. He would miss her terribly, he realized now, he would miss her so much more after what had just happened between them.

Yuffie wrapped her arms around him and nodded, feeling the tears return as she buried her face against his neck, inhaling him and memorizing his masculine scent. "How about we make the best of tonight, before we return to Edge?" she asked, her hands sliding down the smooth flesh of his back.

"Yes," Vincent whispered, voice deeper as he moved inside her again. "Yes."

………

"I guess this is goodbye," Yuffie murmured, eyeing Vincent as he stood with her outside of Seventh Heaven. They had reported to Reeve about their failure, but suspiciously, the man they had been following had been apprehended the night of the explosion. Looking innocent had never been one of Reeve's best faces. He looked more mischievous than innocent. Still, the commissioner had been happy to see them talking, but a little disappointed to know that Yuffie would be returning to Wutai without Vincent.

"You truly wish to leave?" he asked her quietly.

"I have to," she reminded him. There was a look in his eyes, a look that she wanted to question, but she knew that they weren't ready for. It almost made her tell him she would stay, but things wouldn't work out if she didn't give him the space he needed. The space they both needed. "I do like to keep my promises. Besides, old Godo will have a seizure if he has to handle this on his own."

Vincent nodded once and reached up to run a hand through her hair. He would miss being able to touch her, even though he had only allowed himself to do it for one night. She smiled and slipped into his arms to hug him tightly.

"Thank you," Yuffie whispered.

"For what?"

"For seeing me as more than a child. It was the best gift you could've ever given me."

"You're welcome then," Vincent said lightly. "I also want to thank you."

"Why?"

"For… loving me despite all my flaws," he replied.

Yuffie hummed and buried her face in his cloak. "You'll come visit me, won't you?"

"I will try my best," said Vincent. Yuffie looked up at him, big brown eyes going all glittery. His lips quirked slightly before he pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Take care of yourself, Yuffie."

Yuffie nodded and stepped back just as Tifa, Cloud, and the children walked out of the back of the bar. She hugged them all, even Cloud, who had looked uncomfortable. "Thank you so much for taking me in and dealing with all my angst," she said to Tifa.

The bartender smiled and nodded. "We're always here for you, Yuffie. If you ever need to come back, we'll be happy to have you."

Yuffie nodded. "Be sure to send me the wedding invitation," she said with a wink, noting the blush on both Tifa and Cloud's faces. She turned to look at Vincent once more and smiled. "You won't go back to the coffin, right?"

All eyes settled on him and Vincent cleared his throat and shook his head. "No. I have people I care about now."

"Good," she said with a bright smile. "See you?"

Vincent nodded. "Soon," he assured her.

With that, Yuffie turned and walked away, a small pack on her back. She only turned once to wave goodbye, but that was the last glimpse Vincent caught of her sweet smile.

………

She missed her friends. She missed Marlene and Denzel's tickle attacks. She missed Reeve's brotherly hugs, and Cid's overprotective cursing. She missed Barret, who puffed up like a marshmallow whenever Marlene made him proud, and she missed political conversations with Nanaki. She even missed Cloud, who was all lovey-dovey with Tifa now. And out of them all, she missed Tifa the most because she had been her sister for so long. But most of all… most of all, she missed Vincent, with his silences, and his moody glares, and his tattered cloak. She missed the taste of his lips, the scent of his body, and the way his face looked relaxed in sleep.

Yuffie let out a sigh and watched as the clouded sky began to pour rain; and it was early in the morning. The land that had seen generations and generations of Kisaragi's born was still beautiful. Shinra was no longer breathing down its back, and people were rebuilding still. The tourist trap was being torn down little by little, and the empire she had been born in was taking its place once more. She was proud of her father for keeping his word and making Wutai what it had been.

She stepped back from the window and took in her room, the traditional Wutain decoration, the kimonos that had belonged to her mother, resting in a safe place. She loved her home, but she still felt as if something was missing. She missed being free to roam the continents, to live with Tifa and Cloud, stealing their booze and planning pranks with Denzel while Marlene tried to act disinterested. It had been nearly six months since she had last seen them, and though she had spoken to Tifa on the phone, it wasn't the same like seeing her face to face.

"Gil for your thoughts?" asked someone from the door.

Yuffie's eyes darted over and widened. "Tifa!" she shrieked, running over to give the woman a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

Tifa stared in amazement, noticing something that had changed on Yuffie in the last few months. "Yuffie… what…?"

"You're the only one here, right?" Yuffie asked anxiously. Her heart wished Tifa would say no, but her mind had already steeled itself to the yes.

"I… uh… no. Everyone else is here. Your father called us to tell us how sad you've been these last few months. He invited us to stay for a couple of days, so we decided to surprise you. I just… wow… I think you're going to get the jump on us with the surprise," said Tifa lightly.

"Is… he… here?" Yuffie asked.

Tifa shook her head and Yuffie felt her heart sink, and tears come just as unexpectedly as Tifa had. "He's been working with Reeve all these months. He was on a mission when we left, but we left him a message so that he can catch up to us once he is finished. I think… Yuffie, that we need to tell everyone about… about… you know," she said waving a hand.

Yuffie shook her head. "Not before I tell Vincent. If he even shows up," she muttered, wiping away her tears. All she had usually received from him were brief text messages, letting her know that he was still alive now and then. And though it wasn't as big as a phone call, it was worth something that he was the one who contacted her.

"Exactly how are you going to hide it?" Tifa asked curiously.

"Come with me and we'll think of something," Yuffie said with a smile. If she did accomplish pulling a fast one on Cid, it would be totally worth it. Besides, the less time she thought of Vincent, the better.

………

Shaking out the excess water from his hair, crimson eyes took in the dark room he had just stepped into. If his calculations were correct, this was Yuffie's room. He removed his boots and the bandana wrapped around his forehead and hair before pulling off his cloak as well. It wouldn't do if he left a dripping mess of water all over her room.

He had debated with himself on whether or not to wait until the morning, but his desire to see her after six long months had won out. Since that night, she had been in his every waking dream. Lucrecia was still present in his heart, but not the way she had been before. Now Yuffie had taken over most of his thoughts, but he had given her time to sort out her feelings, to see if she still wanted to be with him now. He would walk away if her mind had changed—it would hurt of course, but if she accepted him, he knew he would be ready to try to make her and himself happy.

Vincent approached the large bed and saw her under the pile of blankets, sleeping peacefully, dark haired splayed over her pillow. He reached out and touched the silky strands before moving on to touch her cheek and to slide his thumb over her cheekbone.

"Vinnie," she said, sighing in contentment, seeking his touch in her sleep.

He felt a small smile come to his face at the knowledge that she had been thinking of him, even in her dreams. She shifted onto her back and pushed the blankets down in her sleep. Vincent watched her quietly, not bothering to avert his eyes at the slope of her breasts as they rose and fell with her every breath. His eyes drifted lower, and he felt his own breath choke on him in shock as he really took her in.

His eyes had never deceived him, but he was hoping that this time they would. He stared at her very pregnant belly and he felt something like terror spread through him. She was pregnant? Was the child his? Would it be normal or would there be repercussions from the experiments he himself had suffered through? Tentatively, he reached a hand over and slid it along the stretched skin, feeling movement on the other side before something pressed up against his hand. It was… kicking?

Vincent looked up and his eyes met with the coffee colored ones he had yearned so much to see. He'd had six long months to think about her and wonder if maybe she had moved on, or if she ever wanted anything truly serious with him. The night they had shared together while on the mission had been one of the most memorable experiences of his life, and even though he had tried not to cling to it, he had found himself thinking about it constantly. "Hello Yuffie," he said quietly. She just stared at him and blinked. "Are you not speaking to me again?"

She shook her head. "I'm just wondering whether you're a dream or not."

"I'm not," Vincent assured her. "You're… pregnant," he said numbly.

Yuffie nodded and smiled slightly, feeling the fluttering of her baby from inside. "You woke him up, and he woke me up."

A boy. "Why didn't you tell me when you first found out?" Vincent murmured, fingers still on her stomach as the baby continued to move.

"I didn't want you to come back to me out of obligation. At first I thought I was just being stupid, but I knew that you needed a bit more time. I mean, Tifa nearly waited for Cloud for ten years—since she had been fifteen—and now they're together. Why couldn't I wait a couple of more months?" Yuffie asked, moving his hand to a different part of her stomach where her son was kicking once more.

"Still… you should've told me. I would've been here to support you from the start. Would you have kept this from me if it had taken me much longer to come here?"

Yuffie sighed guiltily. "I don't know," she admitted. "But even if you hadn't come back. I would've loved our baby with all my heart. I at least would have him if I couldn't have you."

Her words made his heart do a funny skip in his chest. "I never meant for this to happen. You are young, with your life ahead of you, and now I have burdened you with a child of mine. Is… is he healthy?" he asked, feeling the guilt and the weight of his sins pressing over him once more.

"Healthier than you and I put together. Don't worry about anything. We're having a healthy, human baby," she reassured him. "And don't ever think that this child is a burden. It's all I may ever have from you," said Yuffie gently. "It's enough for me."

Vincent let out a small sigh of relief at the knowledge that the baby was healthy, but her last words made him realize that a part of Yuffie had already resigned itself to never having anymore from him than his child. He watched her as her dark eyes roamed his face, filled with something he had wanted to see but had resigned himself not to.

"Are you angry that I kept this from you?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "Of course I'm not. I'm just… very surprised," he murmured. Beyond surprised he was a little afraid of what having a child entailed. He hadn't meant to give Yuffie this burden, but the child was there and Yuffie didn't seem upset. She was asking him if he was angry when the question should've been the other way around.

"You don't have to be with… with me. But… will you stay and at least be a part of the baby's life?" Yuffie asked him quietly.

She was giving him the option to leave if he wanted to, but Vincent knew that if he did, he would break any trust and any of those innocent and pure feelings she felt for him if he decided to walk out on her and their son now.

"I will stay," Vincent whispered. "With you and our son."

Yuffie smiled and sat up with his help to wrap her arms around him tightly. "I knew you would come around. All we have to do now is break it to Cid and the others. I hope you're ready for an earful," she said with a small giggle. "Oh, and dad will want to know you're the father. I've guarded that secret with my life, but he's getting impatient. You may be sentenced to death for touching me outside of wedlock, but I'm sure we can work something out."

"Sentenced... to death?" he asked vaguely.

Yuffie giggled and shook her head. "I'm just yanking your chain. He'll be all overprotective too, but Godo's a good man. All these things that have gone on these past years have changed him."

Vincent moved back to gaze at her and wondered at what deity had decided to bless him with a woman who loved every single part of him and didn't ask for anything in return but his presence. He felt as if he didn't deserve her, but he knew that he didn't have it in him to be away from her anymore. "Godo did not kick you out?"

She shook her head and moved over on the bed, patting the spot next to her. "He was angry, yes, but he's also happy that he's having a grandson to continue the family name. Though if you want the baby to be Valentine, then I'm okay with that," she said as she watched him strip from his leather ensemble with an admiring sweep.

Vincent slid into the warm bed and pulled the blankets around them both, settling a hand on her stomach once more. "He can have both surnames. Valentine Kisaragi," he offered, feeling something in him relax as Yuffie tucked herself into his arms and let out a long sigh.

"Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever regretted the night we spent together?" Yuffie asked him quietly.

"No," he said immediately. "I will need time to… adjust, but I am confident that we can work through that."

Yuffie smiled in the darkness of her room as the rain kept pouring outside. "What made you change your mind about me? Up until Deepground, you still saw me as a clumsy child."

Vincent ran gentle fingers through her hair. "The fact that you could love all of me, even with the many days you kept from talking to me. Those days I came to understand why it hurt you so much that I had been gone. I didn't want to see it before, because you were much too young, but now, now I can see."

"Being together is not going to be easy, is it?" she asked softly.

Vincent let out a sigh. "No. It won't. I am thirty years out of the loop, and you have never had a real relationship, have you?"

Yuffie grunted. "Don't just assume that!"

"You have then? With who?" he asked, his voice betraying that little seed of jealousy that had just bloomed at the thought.

She giggled and rubbed her stomach. "No one. I had a couple of boyfriends a while back, but none of them were ever real. Not like this," she said, linking her fingers with his. "Besides, none of them knocked me up either."

"Might I remind you that you were innocent when you came to me?"

"Not as innocent as you might think," she muttered sleepily.

Vincent frowned into the darkness, but he could hear her quiet giggles. He just smirked to himself and let her have her fun. He would never want to change who she was, how much love for life she had and how much cheer and innocence she could display. Tomorrow would be the start—a new beginning—of a new life for the both of them. He'd done enough mourning and repenting for his sins. It was time for him to move on, and there was no one more perfect than his little ninja. And though he knew things would be less than perfect, he was confident that they would be able to work through it.

……………

The look on Cid's face was priceless, Yuffie thought. But maybe he'd had a heart attack and he had died frozen with that look on his face. "Someone whack him on the back to see if he's alive, please?" she asked.

Barret was the one nearest, and the whack on the back nearly sent Cid to the floor before he caught himself. "Wake up, foo'. She's knocked up, there's nothing much we can do but be happy for her."

"Who… what… fuck…" Was all Cid could articulate at the moment though. "Need a fuckin' cig."

"You can't smoke around the baby now," Shera reminded him.

"Double fuck," Cid muttered as he swallowed hard.

"When did that happen?" Cloud asked, waving a hand towards Yuffie's midsection.

"Approximately six months ago," Yuffie replied, legs swinging over the side of her father's guest in his office, her hands resting on the underside of her still not-too-large stomach. Though through the reading she had done, the belly would grow big enough for her not to even see her own feet anymore.

"Why didn't you tell anyone? Did you feel you could do this on your own?" Nanaki asked in that quiet voice.

Yuffie shook her head. "No. I missed you all so much, but I couldn't tell you all before telling Vincent first. And I couldn't tell Vincent until he was ready to hear it," she said, eyes meeting crimson as he stood next to her, not touching, but certainly close enough to give her comfort. "I really want to know that none of you are angry at me for not telling you."

"… Course we're not," muttered Cid gruffly, getting over his initial shock. "You just gotta warn a man when you're about ta tell him something this big."

"You're all going to be our son's godparents, by the way," Yuffie added as an afterthought, looking to Vincent, who nodded in agreement.

"We'd be happy to be godparents!" Shera said excitedly, walking over to rub her stomach. "Cid, come feel this!" she said excitedly.

Cid's eyes met Vincent's and he cleared his throat. "I'd rather not. I'll just wait for the junior brat to be born before I go anywhere near it."

"Is this how you're going to be when you're parents?" Yuffie asked.

Cid merely shrugged and smirked at Shera, as if they were sharing a secret.

"What?" Tifa asked curiously, also noticing the look on their faces.

"Well... we were going to wait to share da news, but might as well tell you all now that you're here. Reeve missed out on it because he preferred his precious WRO, but he'll know soon enough." Everyone waited patiently for him to continue. "Well..."

"We're having a baby too!" Shera nearly screamed, not able to hold it in any longer. Congratulations broke out for both Shera and Yuffie, though the men were more quiet about it.

Yuffie let out a sigh of relief and nodded at her friends, proud that they hadn't made a big deal out of something that made her happy. And from the moment she had found out about the baby, she had been floating in happiness, despite not having Vincent at her side. There had been a moment of panic and uncontrollable crying at the thought of telling Godo, but her father had held her and promised to be there for her. He had just asked her to keep it quiet for as long as possible, since being unwed and pregnant was definitely frowned upon in Wutai. As the baby grew inside her, and a doctor was brought in to take care of her and to test the child for any abnormalities, Yuffie had fallen deeper in love each day. She had still cried at random moments when she thought of Vincent and how much he was missing on, but at least the baby would have her. Now Shera would share in the blessing, and her baby would have a little friend to hang out with.

"Your kid will probably teach my kid to curse for his first word," muttered Yuffie to Cid.

"Yours will teach mine to steal before he can walk," Cid countered.

"Why don't you all go have some tea in the gardens? I need to talk to my dad about all this too," Yuffie said, swallowing hard. Everyone nodded and shuffled out, but not before Tifa pulled her into another hug and Nanaki rubbed his muzzle against her stomach, making Yuffie giggle and her son jump around a little. Cid stayed behind for a moment and looked at Yuffie as if he was swallowing glass.

"Ya know I care about ya, don't you brat?" he asked quietly, ignoring Vincent for the moment.

Yuffie smiled and nodded. "I Kinda got the feeling now and then."

"I do wish you da best. I mean... I'm happy that you're happy too," the old pilot said, rubbing the back of his head uncomfortably.

Yuffie pulled him into a hug before Cid could protest, but he gave her a firm squeeze and a pat on the stomach before walking out, his ears a little red. Once they were alone, a few tears travelled down Yuffie's cheeks, and she managed a smile when the gunman cleaned them away gently. Then Vincent's hand settled on the protruding bump once more, and Yuffie had never dreamed of seeing such an open and awed look on his face. Her smile faltered slightly though, when Lord Godo stepped into his office and took in the scene.

"I somehow knew that he would be the one," said Godo quietly.

Yuffie slid off the desk and straightened nervously. "Dad…"

"Don't say anything child. I wish to hear him speak," her father said.

Vincent nodded and stood straight and tense as well. "I… forgive me, Lord Godo, for burdening your daughter this way."

"Did you take advantage of her only to leave her saddled with a bastard child?"

"Dad!" Yuffie yelled angrily.

"No," came Vincent's serious reply. "If Yuffie will have me, I will remain by her side from now on."

"Will you marry her?"

Yuffie scowled as they continued to talk as if she wasn't there. "Don't I have a say in this?" she griped.

"No," Godo said flatly.

"We… hardly know each other," Vincent stated.

"You knew her enough to get her pregnant," Godo countered. He turned to Yuffie. "Did he take advantage of you?"

"It was more like me taking advantage of him," Yuffie replied with a smirk. "I don't need him to marry me. Having him in my son's life is enough," she said honestly. Months before, while she waited for him to return from Omega's battle, she wouldn't have thought the same. She would've demanded and cursed him for taking so long, but now she had someone else to think about. Being a soon-to-be mother had changed many things in her.

Godo eyed the taller man silently. "What will you do, Mr. Valentine? Will you just be around for the child, or will you take responsibility for your actions?"

Though she didn't want to hope too much, Yuffie turned to regard Vincent silently too. His eyes met hers, and for the first time ever to see that look directed at her, they were warm. "I don't want to be here just for the child," he said quietly.

Yuffie smiled and looked at her father, who was watching them both silently. Vincent turned to him as well. "I will willingly marry Yuffie, if she will have me. We don't know much about each other in a personal sense, but I do know she has been a great part of my life for years now."

The ninja let out a small breath and turned to her father. Godo's eyes met hers and he gave her a serious look. "Is this what you want? Is he the man you have chosen?"

"Yes," Yuffie said breathlessly.

"Very well," Godo said. "You have my blessing. I just… hope that my grandson is not born out of wedlock," he said before shaking hands with Vincent and stepping out of his office.

Yuffie turned to Vincent and let out a small breath. "I thought he was going to scream… or at least rant a little," she murmured.

Vincent nodded in agreement. "We still have three months to get to know each other before the child comes."

"And what then?" Yuffie asked as they stepped out onto the balcony, a tall cherry blossom tree blowing petals through the air. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and there was no trace of the storm that had fallen the night before.

"You can decide if you want to be my wife," said Vincent.

"You sure you're ready for that? Marriage and a baby are huge steps," Yuffie said with a little shrug.

"You've been dealing with one of those steps for the past six months on your own. It's time for me to… grow up as you so eloquently put it that evening," he said with a slight smile.

Yuffie sighed and knew that there was no avoiding the next question, especially if they were trying to start over. "What about… Lucrecia?"

"Lucrecia saved my life," he said quietly, noticing the petals her hair had caught. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her before. The look in her eyes made his chest hurt, because apparently she thought that Lucrecia still held his heart. "But you… you gave me a reason for being. A reason to live. You gave me a new beginning," Vincent stated.

She grinned cheekily. "Will you take advantage of this new beginning? Will you let me in?"

Vincent reached over and cupped her cheek before leaning in to kiss her gently, relishing in her sweet taste and her soft skin. "Completely," he murmured before his lips sealed against hers once more.

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I just can't get enough of VincentYuffie fluff and happily ever afters. I do tend to go OOC sometimes, but I hope it wasn't too bad here. Anyway, did you enjoy? It was about time I wrote some more VinceYuffie fluff, since I'm a sucker for happy endings. Is anyone out there gagging at all the happiness? Hey, I warned you, so I did my part. Thank you very much for reading, and I should have another update for "Princess of Thieves," this Friday, since I can't assure you it'll be done sooner.

I'm very sorry I couldn't reply to everyone's reviews, but I do want to thank those of you who took the time to comment. Franbunanza, Tori128, Aveira, les yeux sans visage, MysticSpiritus, Chaotic Angel7, TionneDawnstar, PereRhia, x-daisuki-x, Forever Yours. Always. All of you, thank you for the positive words and I do hope no one was disappointed or bored. I'll see you all around and Tori128, it'll be a little longer for the fic, but already I have many ideas.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Joey

P.S. I've got some plugs! Read Aveira's fic, "Oxygen," and Tori128's fic, "Without You," and, "Excuse Me, I Love You." The first two are VincentYuffie, and the last is a CloudTifa, but they're all absolutely great. So if you have time, check them out, you won't be disappointed. See you all soon!