~Fang's POV~

I'm so tired by the time we get to Vincent's apartment that I just trudge over to the couch and flop down onto it. My heavy eyelids close instantly and I ignore Yuffie's complaints about me being lazy. Vincent sighs loudly and shakes his head, taking his gun out of his holster and laying it on the counter. I force my eyes open a tiny bit just see what's happening as the two younger girls skip for their room, chattering sleepily. The ebony haired man in fastens his shredded red cloak and hangs it by the door as always. This is so awkward...

"Fang." I remain perfectly still, breathing controlled and body relaxed. That's always the perfect way to convince someone that you're asleep. "Fang," he tries again with an exasperated sigh. Nothing. Not gonna get a reaction from me, pretty boy. "Yuffie is teasing Vanille again."

"What?!" I sit up straight and he smirks. "I'm going to kill you one of these days, Vincent Valentine."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Was that a challenge?" I raise an eyebrow and turn so that my back is facing the back of the couch.

"It is what you make it to be."

"Nice to know you speak modern English," I groan. "I was asleep for a thousand years and I speak more normal than you do."

"I must respect my elders," he smirks and I glare at him.

"Don't make me feel old, Valentine."

"That is not my given name, you know."

"Sorry Vinnie."

He chuckles softly to himself and leans back against the wall, arms crossed.

"Have you no last name then?"

"Trying to be Yoda, you are?" I fire back. His smirk broadens into a smile. "Not exactly. My whole name is Oerba yun Fang."

"Quite a mouthful."

"Not really, just strange for people like you that aren't from Pulse. Everyone else besides Vanille was from Cocoon."

"Another planet?" He raises his eyebrow.

"Obviously you weren't paying attention when we explained this," I grumble. His smile re.and as he shakes his head.

"I was thinking of other things then."

"Yeah, whatever. Cocoon is a Fal'cei made planet in the sky to 'protect' people from Pulse. Supposedly, our home was hell, or something close," I clench my fists tightly. "None of those people had ever been there... Yet they decided to wage war on us because we were a danger. The Fal'cei... They had to choose a defender for their home. And so I became Ragnarock, a gigantic monster only called upon to destroy major threats.

"As Ragnarock, I failed to destroy the planet, only to create a massive hole in it. You've seen Snow's necklace?" He nods. "After that... Vanille and I went into some sort of crystal sleep. When we woke up on Cocoon, I sent Vanille off somewhere else to protect her. We eventually met up again with everyone else, but when we finally got back to Pulse... Everything was gone. Everyone we knew turned Cei'th that we had to kill, every house empty. I just... Is it wrong to hate people from Cocoon for what they did to Pulse?"

"... You hate your friends?"

"Somewhere down in there," I mutter softly, staring at my lap. "I despise them for what their people did to mine, even if it was t they themselves who did it."

Vincent doesn't say anything, only walks over to sit beside me on the couch. I glare down at the floor during the silence that consumes us. Why did I just tell him that? What if Vanille heard? Yuffie would tell all of them... Vincent doesn't care either way, he doesn't have any dang emotions.

"You and Yuffie are a lot alike in that way," he says finally. I look up at him. "She was born and raised in Wutai as royalty. When Shinra waged war in her land, they lost all of their honor. Now that town is merely a tourist spot. She secretly hated some of us for working with Shinra, me especially. I was a Turk, and Turks specialized in assassinations and such."

"So she hated you for doing your job?" I raise an eyebrow. He shakes his head.

"No. I was not awake for the war. But I my parents were Wutain and I worked for Shinra. The combination is somewhat criminal."

"Hmm."

Another awkward silence. I don't want to hate the others... It's just what they have done to Vanille's family, mine, all of our people... It's all gone because of that stupid war. Stupid Fal'cei. Stupid Cocoon! I hate everyone, everything. I hate myself. The world. The universe. I'm just so good at hiding it that not even Vanille can tell. And now this practical stranger knows that I have one true emotion: bitterness. I just want to feel something again.

But I do. When I'm around Vincent, I feel like I'm free to say what I like to, free to be who I am. He won't dislike me for it because he believes he has done so much worse. I try to force everything down during the day, but at night when I'm near him... It all just pushes itself up. I'm forced to think about how alive I feel now that I'm here. Is it so wrong to have these feelings after only knowing someone for not even a week yet? It doesn't feel right at all. Vincent must sense my inner turmoil, frowning.

"Fang, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I shake my head and look absentmindedly at the wall across the room.

"There is something bothering you."

I don't reply, only begin to unstrap my sandals. I've had them on all day anyway, and they're growing uncomfortable. With a heavy sigh, Vincent lays a gloved hand on my shoulder. My head spins to look at him, and my busy fingers stop working the leather straps on my shoes.

"I don't know," I admit. "Just... Things I'm really unfamiliar with are happening on the inside, and I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with it."

"What do you mean?" He furrows his eyebrows. Stop talking! Of course, my mouth doesn't listen.

"I've never felt like I can talk to anyone before, but it's so easy for me to talk to you. I don't understand, it's just weird to me. I've never been comfortable around men before, but... I don't know," I groan, burying my face in my hands. "It just sucks. I don't do the whole girl talk thing, so I wouldn't ask Light or Vanille about any of this, and it just feels kinda personal. I don't get it!"

"I still don't understand..."

"Neither do I. I feel great around you, and like crap around everyone else. Maybe I don't hate you as much as all them... I can't talk to anyone but you without feeling awkward, I can't figure any of this out!" I push my hair back out of my face and rest my chin on one of my palms, avoiding his eyes. What the heck did I just say to him?! I'm being totally honest when I tell him I have no idea what this feeling means. But I catch a glimmer of complete understanding in Vincent's crimson eyes when I finally look at him and his cheeks are bright red. What?

"Fang... Why don't you get some, eh, sleep?"

"... I'm not really tired." I admit.

"You just do not feel tired," he shakes his head and stands, holding out his hand. I blink up at him for a few moments before I accept it and let him pull me up to my feet. Stupid sandals. He guides me to my bedroom and I nearby fall lots of times. Okay, maybe I am really tired.

"Thanks," I yawn, sitting on my bed. As I get to work on my shoes again, Vincent stands in the doorway and watches me. Once I finally get the stupid things off, I lazily comb my fingers through my hair to get the knots out before turning to Vincent. "I swear I'm not going to go beat Yuffie up."

"I'm positive you will not."

"Then why are you watching me?"

"I was wondering if you needed to wash your clothing," he looks dowm at the floor awkwardly.

"Nice try, buddy," I smirk.

"I was not..." He starts quickly.

"I'm just teasing," I laugh. "I don't have anything to wear besides this, and I can wash my own clothing anyway."

"You could borrow something of Yuffie's," he shrugs.

"Ha! Nice one, Vinnie!"

"Tifa gave her some clothing that does not fit her, and I am sure she would not mind considering she calls them 'granny clothes'."

"Anything that doesn't flash her abdomen ans legs wouldn't be flashy evnough for her," I scoff and he tries to suppress a smile.

"It was merely a suggestion. The washer and dryer are at the end of the hall if you need them."

~|~|~|~|~

I must admit, finally wearing fresh clothes in the morning does feel nice, and the shower before felt even nicer, though for some reason, my mind forces me to blow dry my hair before I go out to the living room, full of more energy than usual. I'm a but skeptical when I see Yuffie making pancakes, but I assume it's alright when Vincent completely ignores both of us. He always ignores the norm. Vanille's the last up as usual and she quietly gives me a hug first thing. Such a sweetheart.

"You alright, Missy?"

"Mhmm," she nods. "I'm just really hungry!"

"Good, because these are done!" Yuffie says playfully, tossing a plate at her. I catch it with a warning look and hand it down to Vanille. She grins at me and then looks at Vincent.

"Are you alright, Vincent?" I glance over to see him instantly turn his gaze away from me and nod. Yuffie smirks but says nothing.

For the rest of the morning, Vincent is silent while Yuffie entertains Vanille with her phone, fiddling with the gadget excitedly. I sigh and stare out the window from my spot on the couch. It still smells like him from where he slept. I need to find whatever the heck makes this guy smell so... Vincent so that I can just sniff it all day. But then again, I want the whole package, not just his cologne.

"I'm getting g tired of being trapped inside all the time," I finally say. Yuffie says something around a bite of her peanut butter sandwich that none of us understand.

"Huh?" Vanille furrows her eyebrows. The ninja girl swallows.

"Then go for a walk."

"Exploring sounds more fun," I grin devilishly and grab my lance, shoving it into the holder on my back before walking toward the door.

"Don't get lost," Vincent says as I step out. "I would rather not have to search for you."

"Don't worry, Vampy. I'll be alright," I wink at him before shutting the door behind me. Then I step out onto the sidewalk and start walking.

Eventually, I turn around from the bleak place I made my way toward, not wanting to return to Vincent's apartment just yet. Suddenly, I see a flash of red and black in the corner of my eye and spin around to see nothing.

"Hmph," I him to myself, turning to keep walking. This time, I see who was there before, two men standing in front of me. One smirks, his wild and bright red hair sticking up in every direction on his head and small flight goggles pushing his hair out of his eyes. A long pony tail trails down his back, and one red tattooed stripe curves under each aquamarine eye. Don't look too bad, does he? His companion, a taller, darker skinned bald man in the same pressed suit, watches me sternly through his unnecessary shades.

"She the one, Rude?" The redhead asks. The taller man grunts. "Hey Beautiful," he says to me, still smirking. "Mind coming with us? You and your friends are... Suspects of a sort."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I cross my arms firmly. He sighs.

"Reeve warned about this," Rude states.

"Who?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Ever met a robotic cat named Cait Sith?" I nod hesitantly. "That's the guy that controls him."

"Who are you?"

"The Turks, obviously." My eyes instantly narrow.

"So you work for Rufus Shinra?"

"Yup," he rolls his eyes and looks at Rude. "Geeze, he didn't tells us she would be this dense."

"I'm not going with you," I state firmly, drawing my weapon.

"Look Sweetheart," the man groans. "I'd rather not have to hurt you, but if..." I cut him off with a sarcastic laugh.

"You? Hurt me? Ha! You're scrawny, Turkey boy."

"Well someone's been around Yuffie too much," he grumbles. "Fine. Have it your way." He ducks under a stab from my lance and instantly gets back.up on his feet. I'm so busy trying to attack him and avoid his EMR hits that I don't see Rude come up behind me until my arms are restrained.

"Let go!"

"No can do, babe. Let's go, Rude."

"Lightning!" I yell the name of the person that will most likely save me. Redhead laughs darkly.

"The pink haired girl at least listened and came with us. So did the little boy. And the other three weirdos. The only way to get the big Snow guy to go was to mention Tifa."

"Vincent!" I yell a different name this time.

"Aw, fallen for Coffin Boy? I bet he's waaaay older than you, so don't.."

"Excuse me, but I'm 1,121, thank you very much!" I snap.

"Never seen a woman proud of being old," he mutters. "Knock her out."

"Wha..!"

~|~|~|~|~

I awaken with a jolt and shiver, looking around at my surroundings. My eyes find Vincent first where he stands a little ways off. Then I see the rest of the gang both from here and Pulse. A man I don't recognize stands to my right, talking to the redhead, the baldy named Rude, and some blonde guy in a white suit.

"Ah, good! You're awake!" The man taking to Red, Bald, and White says. Nice names, Fang.

"Fang!" Vanille squeals, kneeling by me happily. Vincent looks in my direction and narrows his eyes on the man beside me.

"Why am I strapped down?" I frown, trying to move my arms.

"Oh, the stuff Reno gave you to knock you out didn't work and you tired to kill he and his partner, not to mention Rufus. Then when you got here you were screaming random stuff about Snow and how stupid he is and tried to shoot me with Vincent's gun. I don't even know how you got ahold of it. Anyways, I finally hit you with a frying pan and that knocked you out cold," Yuffie explains proudly.

".. A frying pan?" I furrow my eyebrows. Vincent dips his head lower behind his color to hide his amused smile and Snow chuckles.

"Yup. And apparently you think Cloud's hair is cool."

"I what?" I grimace. "No offense Cloud, but it's very strange."

"I know," he beams at me, bright blue eyes glowing.

"Why couldn't you just have called me instead of having the Turks kidnap Fang?" Yuffie snickers. "Not that it wasn't hilarious to see her try to kiss Vincent in trade for the gun, but still..."

"Gods, kill me now," I whine, knocking the back of my head against the table.

"Cuz it was more fun," Reno, I'm assuming, smirks.

"I'm Reeve," the guy in the blue robey thing smiles. "Here, let me get those off you." He undoes my restraints and I stand, stretching my arms over my head. That's better.

"I believe you owe us an explanation," Light steps up beside me, arms crossed. I step back and bump into someone, blushing dark red when I see that it's Vincent.

"I'm afraid it's not good news," Reeve sighs.

"What's wrong?" Tifa frowns.

"There's something up with why your new friends are here. Something... Tacky," Reno frowns, looking out the huge window behind him.

"What is it?" Cloud presses.

"Hojo," the blonde man steps forward, eyes finding mine. If Vincent's glare didn't scare me before, it does now.