Author's Note

Hello everyone! This is my first fic ever on ! So please go easy on me, but please tell me if my characters are OOC. It's one of my pet peeves and after playing Dirge of Cerberus I'd start tearing my hair out if I got Vincent's character or anyone else wrong. (Well not literally…ok maybe a little!) Constructive criticism is always appreciated! Heck, even if you're a little harsh I wouldn't mind as long as there's a valid reason.

Yuffie's POV *********************************************************

It's been about a week. That's seven days, 168 hours and 10,080 minutes. All since his battle with Omega; not that I'm counting. Oh who am I kidding? Of course I've been counting. I love him. Yep love.

I guess I've always had a crush on him; a girl would be crazy if she didn't. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. But, I think I realized it when I found him at Shinra Manor. That psycho lady Rosso had just left a gaping hole in his chest and was about to finish him off. That's when I the Great Ninja Yuffie saved him! But man he looked like a goner! I was so worried I rushed him to the WRO. I don't think I've been that upset over someone since Aerith died. That's when it hit me, hard-I was in love with him. Him! Vincent Valentine!

That's why when I asked Tifa if she'd heard back from Cloud my heart sank when she replied in the negative. I tried to play it off by saying he wasn't making this easy on us. But really, I wanted to cry. I haven't cried since Wutai was destroyed in the war. Yet, here I was at nineteen, ready to cry my eyes out over a guy who really could care less about me. True, he saved me from darkness, but let's not kid ourselves; after all he saved Shelke too. I knew I had no chance with him. Even the White Rose of Wutai has her limits. Besides, he loves Lucrecia. If he's loved her for all those years in a coffin I doubt he'd stop now.

Third-person POV********************************************************

Yuffie sighed; she'd dropped into Seventh Heaven today just like she had all of last week. It was now a week and a day and Tifa had yet to receive news on Vincent, only his lack thereof. Tifa threw her a sympathetic look as she polished glasses. She knew Yuffie was taking this hard, almost as if she loved him Tifa mused. Her thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. Yuffie morosely kept staring at her hands; it'd been days since she stopped jumping at the sound of a phone. Tifa wiped her hands on a rag and went to answer it. After a few moments she ran excitedly back into the bar,

"Yuffie, she cried, they found him!"

The ninja in question almost fell out of her chair,

"What? Really?" Tifa nodded,

"They're bringing him here now!"

Vincent's POV***********************************************************

The welcome back party was in full swing, and while I've never been one for large social gatherings, it was nice to be missed. I didn't realize how much I'd grown to like AVALANCE, my comrades turned friends. Though at the moment I needed some fresh air. Cid and Barrett had gotten drunk and were trying to stake me, claiming I was a vampire. While I was in no real danger, (Cloud and Tifa were holding them back, and cracking up) I did need to get away for a bit.

I walked outside the bar and was about to lean against its walls when I noticed someone else doing the same. I was shocked to see it was Yuffie, usually she loved parties. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen her since my return. Wondering if she was feeling well I walked up to her. She seemed…troubled.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

She jumped at the sound of my voice and turned to face me. I never did put people at ease, and since Hojo's experiments, matters haven't gotten better.

"O-oh hey Vincent!" she said faking cheerfulness.

I shook my head, she wasn't alright,

"That doesn't answer my question."

She looked at me a bit startled,

"Oh it's nothing to worry about, I was just thinking."

I chuckled, "Since when do you think?"

She reddened, "He-hey! Wait a sec!"

Then she covered her mouth at her rather loud outburst. Yuffie dropped her hands to her side,

"Well there's this guy…

My eyes narrowed, was she implying someone was bothering her? I gritted my teeth, and wondered briefly whether aiming Cerberus at that fool's head would be appropriate. Then I realized how violent my thoughts had become. I'd always cared for Yuffie just like my other friends, but…

"…and I just want to tell him how I feel but I'm afraid."

Yuffie conclude sadly. Ah, so she wasn't being harassed, though the thought of her in love with another made me feel sick. I shook off the feeling and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure whoever he is will be very happy to know how you feel."

She looked up at me,

"Really, she asked her eyes shining with hope, do you think so?"

I nodded my heart feeling heavy.

"Ok then she exclaimed, here goes nothing!"

and she kissed me. I was so shocked that at first I did nothing. Sensing my stillness and thinking I didn't feel the same, Yuffie broke away.

"Imsorry-I just."

I stopped her babbling with another kiss. Caressing her cheek I deepened the kiss all the while feeling my heart race. I, who had killed hundreds of Deepground soldiers without breaking a sweat. I hadn't felt this way since…Lucrecia. But that was then. This was now. I know she'd want me to find happiness again, no longer did I believe in my self-imposed sin.

Third-person POV*******************************************************

He kissed me! I can't believe it! Well, he may not have made the wait easy on us, but he sure knows how to make it up to me, she thought. Yuffie grinned into the kiss, she could get used to this.