Author's Note; Hey huns, this is just the Beta-d version of the original with some grammatical and structuring corrections. I want to say thanks to Sylla from Genesis Awards for her help - she's a brilliant beta and really done a great job for me!! If anyone's interested in taking a look at the Genesis Awards, there's a link on my profile page; the nominations are now open. Join if you want to become part of our whacky family - seriously though, everyone's real friendy and sound out! Thanks again guys!! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Why do you have a claw on your hand?"

The saucer-like hazel irises were staring up at him with almost palpable curiosity as she asked the question in a voice that rang with boldness. The man groaned inaudibly- he wasn't good with kids … never was, never would be. Cloud had more of a chance with kids than he ever would.

What was he even doing here? DeepGround had been dealt with about a week ago now and the group had dissipated once more; Cid had returned to Rocket Town, minus his prized Shera - a fact he wasn't all too happy about. Yuffie had bounced off to somewhere in her hyperactive glory, whilst Barret had left yesterday, headed for Corel once more. Nanaki remained on the step outside 7th Heaven, content to relax there for a few days more. Reeve was rebuilding his WRO base already, and Shelke had decided to aid any way she could, with both of them leaving yesterday.

Although Tifa had offered him a bed for as long as he needed it, Vincent remained ignorant as to why he was still at the bar. It was only then he became aware of the young gaze still anticipating his answer.

"It signifies something."

Her eyes were fixed onto the metal gauntlet that adorned his left hand and worked its way up his lower arm. Tifa cast a glance over the counter as she passed with a tray of dirty glasses - Marlene was at it again.

"What's it signify?"

Vincent didn't answer. He hoped his silence would hint his unwillingness to answer her, but the young seven-year-old sat up on the stool across from him, her eyes now peering at him across the table. She hadn't seemed like this at the Forgotten City a year ago; she'd seemed timid and shy back then, but now Vincent knew the child was unnaturally curious for her age.

His eyes darted around the room and hovered on the door - he wanted to leave, and now. The man half-lifted himself from the table, intending to leave this questioning where it was … and he would have done so too, had it not been for her little voice asking yet another question.

"It looks dangerous - does it signify the dangers in your life?"

The crimson eyes blinked once or twice due to the shock - she was only a child and yet she seemed to be dropping down to his level to participate in this conversation. His red eyes tried to lock with hers, but the little girl was idly casting her gaze around the bar; her attention wavering somewhat.

"It stands for the beasts within me."

"Tifa says you think too much about those beasts-"

Marlene was cut short by a choking noise as Tifa, embarrassed, and her cheeks turning a slight red, hastily made herself scarce and exited the bar, into the house section of the building. A small smirk dared touch upon Vincent's lips as he saw this, and then looked back to Marlene.

"What else does Tifa say about me?"

The small child shrugged, losing interest in the topic rather quickly.

"Stuff, Cloud says you think too much about L… Lucreta…"

She trailed off as she swung her legs absently, not quite able to pronounce the name yet, and unsure of what importance it bore. His black eyebrows furrowed slightly at the improvised name.

"You mean Lucrecia?"

"Mm-hmm, Cloud says you loved her and that's why you only visit us once or twice, and why you're so quiet and wear that thingy on your hand."

"Cloud and Tifa just tell you this, do they?"

Her brown head bowed a little as she tried to hide the tiny blush that seeped into her cheeks - a child caught.

"Well, I'm good at hearing stuff."

"I'm sure you are, Marlene - you know eavesdropping is wrong?"

"Not if it doesn't hurt anybody…"

The little voice trailed off beneath his strong gaze, knowing she was in the wrong and yet still trying to defend herself. A few minutes of silence, broken only by the steady ticking of the clock, passed before she asked another of her innumerable queries.

"Did you like her, or love her?"

"Excuse me?"

"Cloud said you loved that woman, but Papa says that there's a big difference between love and like - that if you like someone, it's easy to say so and easy to keep it a secret, but if you love someone, you should be careful 'cause it hurts a lot when you keep it a secret … but Papa said it's way too easy to confuse the two."

More silence seemed to drag by as the little child stared at the grain of the wooden table, speaking again in her impossibly thoughtful voice.

"If you liked her, then you would've told her, or at least you wouldn't be hurting … but if you loved her, why does she still bother you? Unless you kept it a secret and now it's hurting 'cause you never told her. Papa says that's why Cloud hurted last year, before he told Tifa he loved her, but why can't you tell that lady you love her if it hurts you so much?"

The wisdom in her words was undeniable, and fascinating given her tender years: he was over fifty years her senior and yet she had much more understanding of the situation than he'd ever been capable of compiling.

"I can't tell her."

"Why?"

More questions. What was it with this kid? Question, followed by queries, followed again by inquiries. She just couldn't be satisfied, and yet he found himself smirking bemusedly at her.

"Marlene - do people ever tell you that you ask a lot of questions?"

The brunette nodded her young head.

"Tifa tells me that a lot, but she says it's good."

Uncertainty tinted her answer, but the tall pale man nodded his head.

"It is. Always ask questions, and keep doing it as you get older, Marlene."

More quietness fell as she smiled happily - maybe kids weren't that hard to deal with after all - but then she frowned slightly, her chocolate-brown eyes lighting up as an idea came to her.

"Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"Make a promise with me - I'll keep asking questions if you tell that lady you loved her, or at least that you liked her, 'cause once you decide which one it was, you can stop hurting, and be happy!"

She beamed proudly upon finishing the statement, as though her seven-year-old mind had just figured out an obvious solution to an earth-shattering problem … though maybe that was what his labyrinthine mind was to her: one big problem to figure out. The little girl sported a happy smile as she looked at him expectantly - the smile was one of childish naivety, but showed evidence of wisdom beyond her years. It was a truly infectious smile that seemingly spread and tugged playfully at the corners of his own mouth, reaching across the small table to him.

"Okay, Marlene - I'll decide which it is, and you keep asking your questions, okay?"

He didn't dare tell the small girl that he'd been contemplating whether it was like or love for many years now, and would never know which… but he could always try, couldn't he? And at least now he could do it for the sake of her questions.

As Tifa timidly appeared back behind her bar, Vincent stood and walked to the counter with his empty glass, hearing a small voice speaking from where she still remained, seated at the table.

"Vincent, I like talking to you; will you visit us more, please?"

The last word made him lock gazes with Tifa, who seemed to have pity in her eyes; expressing it to him. She'd had numerous conversations like his one with Marlene this time last year, and the girl was yet to be beaten. The crimson eyes betrayed his internal battle - he could go back to his comfortable moping around and lamenting or he could make some attempt at life. Her newest question berated him for a second or two - always with the questions - until the tall man let loose a defeated sigh and turned, smirking and nodding as he did so.

"I will, Marlene - how else will I hear your questions if I don't visit you?"

What the little girl done next utterly surprised the reserved man: she broke out into the widest smile he'd ever seen in his lengthy years and bounded across the bar, clinging tightly to his waist, completely taking him aback as she spoke.

"And you have to tell me which it was with her, okay?"

Another question from her, how many was that now? Damn, now he was asking the questions as well!

"I will, just as soon as I decide."

"Promise?"

A simple nod of his head answered the latest of her queries.

An hour or so passed as the bar began to fill up, and Marlene kept an eye trained on him every so often, flashing a knowing smile. Cloud arrived home and the ex-Turk decided to take his leave that night whilst everyone slept.

Months passed as he hovered dangerously close to that Mako crystal cave, questions from one little girl constantly plaguing his mind, berating him from giving into his self-pity once more, until one day he made up his mind and ventured back to Edge.

The bar door opened before him …

Little arms clutched around his waist, a little higher up than before - she'd grown an inch or two since his last visit. A small laugh seemed to barge its way out of his mouth as he walked into the pub, Tifa behind the counter and Cloud in a corner, with a map out and Denzel beside him. Marlene spoke happily as he continued to chuckle lightly.

"I knew you'd come back - you kept the promise, didn't you?"

That was her part of the deal held up - more questions. Vincent nodded his head lightly as he bent down to her level and whispered in her right ear, aware of three sets of eyes upon them, each of the sets curious and unknowing. Marlene nodded her head enthusiastically as she heard his answer.

"I knew it!"

No questions followed that as he smiled, the happiest he'd been in many months, though the lack of a question seemed to betray him somewhat as he walked to the bar … until ...

"So why do you wear the red cape then?"

A/n- Lol, please let me know what you guys thought of this random little oneshot. Thanks for reading!! XxxxxxxxxxxX