• I yawned as I slowly woke up in the room of Denzel and Marlene in 7th Heaven. Marlene hopped up and down, her eyes smiling.
    "Denzel! Denzel, she's awake!" Denzel ran over, ignoring the stacks of boxes he was playing with. "Yuffie's awake now?" I sat up and smiled.
    "You guys! What are you doing?"
    "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" shouted the kids. That really woke me up. Jumping up, I didn't stop to grab my boots as I ran downstairs. I skidded in, my socks making me slip and face plant. Tifa started laughing. So did Aerith and Zack. Cid and Barret laughed the loudest.
    The scene in the room was a classic one. Barret, Cloud, Zack, and Vincent were all sitting on the bar stools, drinks in front of them. There were no customers, and Aerith was cooking something that smelled awesome. Tifa was chatting with the boys, and Red 13 was lounging in a sun patch with Cait Sith.
    "Shut up!" I yelled as I got up. "You know it's my birthday today!"
    "It is?" said Cid with mock surprise. "We never knew!" Barret snickered.
    "Yeah, with all the hintin you've done for a week." the big man said. Vincent just kind of stared into his drink. He never really said much anymore.
    I just made a huffy noise, and went back upstairs. There, I pulled on my boots, grabbed my shuriken, then stomped back downstairs. No one paid any attention to me. No one but Vincent that is.
    I sat at one of the tables, staring aimlessly out a window. Then I heard the scratching of a bar stool being pushed in. I turned my head to see Vincent coming to sit next to me. He said in his low voice, "Happy birthday, Yuffie."
    I blushed, and said, "Thank you, Vincent." He just nodded, and went to staring out the same window that I had been watching some kids out of. His long hair fell onto his shoulders in black waterfalls, his eyes intently focused on something outside.
    "Hey, Yuffie!" Tifa said, coming over. "You should go outside and practice! You know, get pumped up!" I just looked at Teef, then said, "Alright."
    With that, I grabbed my shuriken, and shuffled outside. Since Vinnie was watching out the window. . .
    I stationed myself where Vincent could see me well from his view, and started practicing vigorously. I started off with a few really easy moves, then escalated to my complex ones. I wanted Vinnie to see me in action.
    I was out there for I don't know how long. Just then, I went to look to Vincent, and wave, but the blinds were closed. What the? Usually they're wide open. . .
    They must be doing something in there. Hm. I went to go and open the door, but Aerith opened it for me.
    "Yuffie? We have something for you, inside!" she called. I perked up and ran into the bar. Just then, everyone, even Vinnie, yelled, "Happy Birthday, Yuffie!"
    The bar was a sight. There was a big banner with "HAPPY 18TH YUFFIE!" on it, presents occupying one of the larger tables, and on another table was a cake with little icing shurikens on it.
    "Oh my God!!" I yelled in joy. "Oh. My. GOD!" With that, the party ensued.
    We had a great time. The present I got from Vincent were brand new sets of blades! I nearly hugged him. But instead, I just jumped up and down, thanking him a million times.
    After a few hours of dancing (or in Vincent's case, just standing there), everyone started to clean up. Except for me and Vincent.
    "Yuffie?" he asked quietly. I looked up at him, and asked, "Yeah?"
    "Can you come with me?" With a flash of red, he was going up the stairs. I quickly followed him. We went into the room Cloud and Tifa had once lain in, where Reno had told Cloud, "Move on, man!"
    "I. ." Vincent started to say, but Barret busted in, yelling, "YO! MISSION!" He motioned for us to follow him. Teef, Aerith, Cloud, and everyone else were chasing in the direction of the train station.
    We didn't bother to buy tickets, just jumped on. Barret lead us to the usual car, and pulled us over for the briefing.
    "Yo! We in this crappy car cause there's a new reactor! We gotta bomb it before it kills us!" The big man gestured to the bomb in Cloud's right hand. "Spiky here's gonna push that big button that says, "Yo! Don't Push!", and the place's gone."
    I nodded, then asked, "Why are we all in this?" It was unusual for a full-team assembly for just a reactor mission.
    "Because this ain't no ordinary reactor! It's a ticking time bomb!" The train creaked to a stop, and everyone ran into the reactor.
    Then, the mission was underway. Cloud, Zack, and Barret went to the center to set the bomb. Aerith, Tifa, Red and I were stationed at the entrance. And Cait Sith was outside, guarding us.
    A half hour later, Big Gun Arm and Spiky 1 and Spiky 2 came back. We all ran out, and used a materia to go back to the bar. A boom echoed in our ears as we disappeared. The bomb/reactor was toast.
    I toppled over in my boots and fell right into Vincent's outstretched arms. That man was a mystery. Always knew when I would fall, always knew what I wanted for my birthday, even when I didn't mention it.
    He always brought me some water when I was sick. Got me bandages, new grips for my shuriken, replaced my blades every once in a while, you name it. Sometimes, whenever I woke up, I swore I could see him outta the corner in my eye before I blinked.
    Sometimes, I'd like Vincent to remain a mystery.
    Snapped back to reality, I looked up at Vincent. "Hi there."
    He looked at me before saying curtly, "Get off me please." I quickly back up and said under my breath, "Well, Mr. Moody Pants, you're the one who caught me. Next time try and be more subtle about it being accidental."
    Vincent just went back upstairs. What crawled up his foot? No point in sitting here wondering. Time to chuck my shuriken at someone and steal some materia! I ran off, determined to snatch a couple from Vincent while he slept.

    As they say in the old time movies,
    FIN