Disclaimer:

No own movie or game...not me...if I did...well, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this...

Author's Note:

It's amazing! I actually finished another story without starting another one! It's a miracle! So here is the last chapter to a story I started writing about...3 years ago maybe. Holy crap...it's been a while huh? Well I hope you guys like the last chapter. It took me a hell of a long time to write so I would really like it if you lovely readers adore it:D So, please, without further a do, read, enjoy and review!

My head broke the surface relatively close to shore and when I spotted Vincent sitting on the beach I dove behind a large rock that was jutting up not far away. Once I was hidden I peeked my head around the rock and gazed at him longingly. How I wished I could go to him and touch his soft skin once more. It had only been a few days since he had killed Ashela but I still didn't have the courage to approach him.

Maybe it was the fact that, even though he already knew what I am, he won't want to be seen with some kind of freak like me. I immediately felt ashamed at that thought. I wasn't a freak; my people aren't freaks. We're just...different. And I knew that the human race didn't look upon us as freaks. Many of them thought us very beautiful and many of them ran have crashed their boats gazing upon the ones brave enough to go to the surface.

I was so focused on my thoughts that I nearly screamed when a hand gently touched my shoulder.

"God, Tifa, don't have a heart attack," Yuffie said, trying to stifle her laughter.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. "Well, you could have warned me, you know," I replied, a small smile replacing the shocked expression.

"Why don't you go say something to him?" She asked, peeking her head around the rock as well.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just scared."

"Scared of what? You love him, he loves you right?" I remained silent, making Yuffie extremely exasperated. "Oh come on, Teef! Grow a back bone! You're a mermaid but he's not gonna look at you any differently. He loved you before he found out what you are."

Yuffie's words hit home. She was absolutely right. He loved me even though Ashela took away my beauty and continued to love me when I changed back into a mermaid right in front of him. My chest swelled with new found confidence as I turned to flash Yuffie a small smile before swimming towards shore. I dove a short distance beneath the surface and pumped my tail casually, watching him through the surface of the water. He must have seen me because he leaped up from the ground and took a few steps into the surf. I smiled and brought my head out of the water.

At first, he didn't say anything. He just stood there staring at me like he hadn't seen me in years. He rose a shaking hand and beckoned me to come closer. I nodded and went back under the water until it was too shallow for me to swim any longer. As my stomach scraped the coarse sand I lowered my hands and crawled forward until I was only a few yards away from him.

I sat down and gazed up at him the same way he was looking at me. A million questions were swirling around in his crimson eyes. Questions that only I could answer; questions I was afraid to answer.

I could only look up into his eyes for so long until I had to avert them in shame. I felt so small under his gaze, like I was a little girl again under my father's accusing stare. An overwhelming feeling that I had somehow let him down fell over. I was preparing myself to explain, to tell him what I should have told him at the very beginning when I heard him speak.

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice had changed; it had become weak and small, broken almost. The full realization of how much he cared about me him me full in the face. He had seen beauty where there was none only to find that there was something more underneath it all.

"I knew that you wouldn't believe me," I said, in a voice almost as small and broken as his. I continued to keep my eyes away from him his if only to stop myself from crying.

After a few more moments of the stinging silence I almost listened to the little voice in the back of my mind telling me to turn away from him and swim back to where I came from but, much to my relief, Vincent took a deep, shuddering breath and fell to his knees in front of me.

"So what happens now?" He said, sounding close to tears himself. "Do we just say our good-byes and part ways?"

"I don't know." I finally worked up the courage to look at him and I didn't like what I saw at all. I saw a broken man ready and willing to whatever it took to find the answers he sought.

"But...you..." He stammered for a few seconds, trying desperately to find the right words. "You were a human before. Go find whoever or whatever that turned you human and have them turn you back." He gently brushed my cheek with fingers that shook uncontrollably. "Then we can be together forever."

I took his hand in both of mine and hugged it to my chest. I dreaded the words that I would have to tell him, dreaded the heartbreak I would cause him.

"Vincent, I wish it was that easy. Ashela is the one that turned me human. The secret of switching me back died with her."

"Not quite, daughter."

My father was floating a short distance away, watching us not with contempt or scorn, but interest.

"What do you mean, Daddy?"

He lifted a hand and beckoned me toward him. "Come, daughter. I will explain."

I gave Vincent's hand a warm squeeze before releasing it and retreating back into the depths behind my father. We didn't descend very far; only far enough to discuss the matter in total privacy.

I was a little apprehensive, and excited, about what he wanted to explain to me. My mind was racing as my father floated in front of me with his back turned, more than likely putting his thoughts into words.

"You really do love him...don't you?" He asked, his back still turned.

"I do, Daddy." I began to wring my hands nervously. Where was he going with this and what was he going to tell me? He was silent for so long I thought my head would burst from the anticipation.

"Well," he said, turning to face me. "I guess there's only one problem left?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He placed his free hand on my shoulder and smiled down at me. "How much I'm going to miss you."

He backed away from me slightly and raised his glowing trident straight at me, at such time I became extremely confused. A beam of soft golden light that looked vaguely like smoke flowed from the three tips and swirled around me. I didn't realize what he was doing until I could not longer breathe underwater.

I broke the surface, gasping and sputtering. We had dived down farther than I thought. My first thought upon returning back to human form was if I was clothed or not. A quick swipe of my hand over my stomach proved that my father was kind enough to cover me properly.

Vincent had remained in the same exact spot, kneeling in the surf and looking like he might fall face down into it any second.

I paddled towards him until my feet touched the soft sandy floor; a sensation I thought I would never feel again. I was once again a little unsure on my new legs but it soon passed and I was able to wade through the shin deep water quite easily.

As soon as he saw that I was walking, not swimming, towards him it was like a switch had been flipped. He jumped up and started running through the water towards me, a large grin on plastered on his face. When he wrapped his arms around me it felt like a grizzly bear had taken his place, but I didn't really notice. I was too busy hugging him back to care.

He backed away from me and cupped my face in his hands. "How?"

"My father." No other words were needed to explain. I kind of wanted to keep mine and my father's parting words to myself. I had a feeling Vincent didn't care how it happened, only that I was returned to him.

"Then to your father I will be eternally grateful. He brought you back to me, that's all that matters." He grabbed one of my hands and began to lead me away from the place I had called home all my life.

As he led me away, I gave a fleeting glance back to the sea where I saw my father, Yuffie and Cloud all waving to me. I tugged on Vincent's hand gently before turning and waving back.

Once they had said their good-byes they dove back below the surface and disappeared from my sight possibly forever.

I tore my gaze away from where they had been only moments ago and continued to follow Vincent towards my new life. I had no doubt that I would see them again some day.