Hello there This is my second fanfic about FF. The first one was oneshot and emo(beats me, I was in a crappy mood). Not much to say(unless I want to reveal spoilers) apart from that main character is going to be Vincent Valentine. I hope you will like the story. Comments, constructive critique and reviews are welcome. Flamers - go away, unless you have something productive to say apart from "You stink!" Oh, and last thing: I am not English - speaking and do not use beta - reader, so please do not get too frustrated if there are too many mistakes. Usually there's not.

Yours, AngelT

Stranger In The Night

Dark - grey clouds covered Nibelheim as a sick wet blanket. The late autumn season in Nibel Area was always cold, always damp and always stormy. The wild wind was shaking the trees outside old ShinRa mansion making the walls seem to tremble and fear the weird shadows that were dancing on their surface. As always, the mansion looked quite deserted, however, through the wall of rain that was pouring down from the heavens, a persistent individual would see a little light trembling in one of the windows on the first floor.

It illuminated the huge room that was masterfully turned in several separate chambers. The furniture seemed pretty old and obviously was scavenged around the places descent person would not go to. A young, unhealthy looking girl curled up under a patched blanket and was staring in the fire that was dancing in the old, pompous looking fireplace. Orange light made her gingerish hair sparkle like old gold and her blue eyes reflected the jolly little flames. She looked rather thin and could be no more then nine or ten years old.

"I like to watch the fire. It makes me think that humans are just like those flames. Shine bright but one mistake and they die without a trace. Strange and funny at the same time, don't you think?"

It seemed that merely a shadow, born out of fire moved towards the window. Heavy mass of raven black hair slid from one shoulder of a tall, slim built man as he turned around to face the girl. Orange glow reflected on the golden metal of the clawed glove that was his right arm and lit reddish glimmers in his crimson eyes.

"I'd suggest you do not think about it, Shelke. Enjoy the time you still have, that what matters. And who knows? There always can be a place for a miracle."

She wrinkled her nose in pure amusement.

"Unusual to hear such words from a person like you, Vincent Valentine."

"Well perhaps I can then fall on the floor and cry about the poor fate of the humanity and my own, while trying to cut my veins just for pure fun as I cannot die anyway." He said, seemingly estimating the probability of own suggestion. "You think that will suit me more?"

She nodded.

"Obviously. But I think that is getting old. Maybe you must try jumping from the window?"

"Thanks, I'll consider it."

A silence fell in the room and both people stared in the fire hypnotised by as old as time magic of the flames. Vincent let his thoughts swirl around own existence and once again tried to analyze how he ended up here, with Shelke, leading a life similar to a plant. Quiet and pointless. It was, actually not that complicated. After defeating Deepground he wanted to go back to Nibelheim and return to his sleep. There was really nothing left to do, everything was taken care of, his team-mates started to settle down. However there was one little thing Vincent did not know what to do with. Shelke did not had a place to go, she was getting more then just disorientated by the memetic legacy of Lucrecia, that was persistently taking over her mind and, with the last Mako supplies being destroyed she would not last long. He would not admit it even to himself, but Vincent got attached to the ex – Tsviet. Or was he really attached to her? It could be as well because of Lucrecia. Somehow, through Shelke, Vincent tried to live his dream of being with his only ever beloved one. And Shelke knew it. Vincent could perfectly well see what troubled her but each time Shelke was trying to make him talk about the sensible subject, he just silenced and stared on the floor in front of him. One attachment to tear his soul in thousands pieces was already enough. There was no need in any more of them.

"It is getting really late. For your own sake, go to bed." He addressed softly to the girl.

"Will you join me…?"

"No." the answer came colder then he intended. "I do not want to start that roundabout all over again; I thought I made myself clear."

"Vincent, I…"

He stared in the floor, counting the little cracks in the old noble wood.

"Do not start all over again, please. I said it many times and I will repeat it again. I do care about you but there are several lines that I am not able to step over. Take it as it is, there are no other options. "He paused for a second and squeezed his eyelids.

Why everything always gets so complicated?

"You are my friend. A close one, perhaps. But that's about it. You've helped me numerous times, I am returning the favour. Do not see more then there is." With those words he turned away to the window and stared into the night. That was his way of saying the talk was over. Soft footsteps behind his back meant that Shelke listened and went away. Vincent released a sight and rubbed his forehead with two fingers. He needed to go away. Vegetative life was killing him. Not that he ever was a fighter but…

"I've never really was a fighter, was I? Never really fought for myself and my causes… Perhaps what I am now is a direct result of my multiple failures."

The wind hit the window, making rain stream over the glass like a waterfall. The frame creaked poorly, trying to stand against the forces of nature.

"Funny I came to think about this. How many failures are there anyway? The row is endless. And yet I live while there are plenty of others who deserved it much more and yet they perished."

For a brief moment the lightening illuminated the sky and Vincent frowned when he saw a figure on the road in front of the mansion, however next second, whoever it was, he disappeared. Cautiously Vincent tapped the holster with the gun that he always carried around and checked the window again. No - one. But the figure was so solid and real that he would bet his gaunlet that it wasn't an optical illusion. The most disturbing fact was that the silhouette was walking down the road that lead to old Mako Reactor. Together with Cloud, several years ago, he 'cleaned' the place from any traces of monsters, destroyed remaining Mako transit pipes and disabled any working mechanics that were left. Reactor was in ruins and Vincent could not imagine who could possibly want to go to there, despite the dangers of Mt. Nibel and such weather.

A weak knock on the door made him turn around and clutch fingers tightly around the gun. The knock repeated a tad more persistent. Vincent leaped to the door and opened it wide, being ready to counterattack if the person on the other side had no peaceful intentions. The lightning torn the sky and Vincent found himself standing in front of a stranger, whose face he could not see as the man bowed forward and was breathing heavily while clutching his side with one arm. Rain had soaked his black suit and was dripping from half – long black hair, making water gathering in a little puddle in front of Vincent's feet.

Just as he opened his mouth to ask who the stranger was and how he got here, the man grunted and all of a sudden clutched the material of Vincent's red cloak between his fingers. "Please… Help me… He will kill me for what I've done…" stranger's hand was trembling slightly as he was speaking. "If he kills me… Nothing will save them…"

Vincent grabbed man's wrist and tried to let go of his cloak.

"What are you talking about? Who will kill you?"

The man started to tremble more intense and bowed his head even lower.

"Hojo…He will kill… me…"

Vincent frowned even more and stopped the attempts of freeing himself.

How come? Hojo is dead in all the ways possible…

"What is your name?"

The stranger moaned and raised his face. Blood was streaming down his forehead and made a remarkable match with his crimson red eyes.

"Vincent… Valentine…"