Final Fantasy VII Have a Little Faith in Me

Have A Little Faith In Me

Cloud looked at the two women in front of him with a mixture of annoyance and gratitude. The one who was the more talkative of the two was the one that held his attention the quiet one somewhat unsettled him. The quiet one had long silver hair and eyes exactly like Sephiroth's had been but her face bespoke of a kindness hidden underneath. The talkative one had long red hair that waved its way down to the middle of her back her eyes a bright shining light purple colour.

"So yeah I'm Samantha Soresta and miss ice queen here is Lauren Meadows. Yeah we look odd but get over it," the talkative one said before turning back to Lauren and growling out, "Would you put your eyes back to normal damnit obviously you are upsetting him and I'm sure you can feel that." Turning her attention back to the blonde in front of her Sam trusted that Lauren would return her eyes to normal.

"Ruin my fun," Lauren said allowing her eyes to return to their golden colour but they still seemed somewhat cat like. Cloud stared at her for a moment longer before turning his attention back to Samantha who was obviously the vocals of the group.

"How did you two get here?" Cloud asked looking from one to the other waiting for a response. Samantha did not reply instead she looked at the ground and bit her lip her eyes tightening slightly around the edges.

"We got pulled here by another at the cost of those we hold dear and our entire planet. In order for us to come here the energy of life from our planet had to be absorbed so that Cloud Strife is how we got here." Lauren said glaring at him with normal shaped but tormented eyes. She protectively wrapped an arm around Samantha's shoulders and pulled the other woman's head to her shoulder to comfort her. Apparently Lauren was the mothering one of the pair and also probably the strongest.

"I'm sorry I did not mean to be rude or to bring up things that are painful for you to remember. Do you have anywhere to stay?" Cloud asked quietly looking at the pair of them one held so tightly together the other more open and free.

"No, we have no one and nowhere to go Strife. We are alone here we only have each other, do you know of somewhere that we may find comfort?" Lauren asked allowing a little of her icy demeanor to fall the hope just barely visible in her eyes. She was apparently not use to someone being so kind as to offer to help or give aid to her in a time of need.

"Yeah I can take you there but there is only room enough for one on my bike." Cloud stated looking at the pair of them. He didn't know if that would make them decide to reject his offer or not but he could always make two trips.

"That is not a problem Cloud, take Samantha and her bow on your bike I'll be right above you." Lauren stated lightly pushing the other woman towards Cloud. Lauren apparently was talkative when Samantha wasn't or at least when she had to be. She looked at Cloud with grateful eyes but she quickly hid the emotion behind her cold indifferent demeanor and Cloud was beginning to think that she tried to protect herself in that way.

"Sure not a problem, do you need a hand on Ms. Soresta?" Cloud asked offering her a hand. She looked at the bike and then at Cloud before looking back at Lauren who nodded at her. When she turned back around Samantha looked somewhat frightened but she let Cloud help her onto the bike.

"Thanks Cloud, Lauren you sure you want to alert to the entire world here that you are not completely human?" Samantha asked looking at the other woman with serious and sympathetic eyes. She knew that Lauren always sought acceptance and the like in their own world but apparently here she had a different outlook on things.

"I'll be fine Samantha, they're just wings I'm sure that someone else on this planet has or has had wings. Besides this is not home so what do I care of what others think of me and my appearance." Lauren stated as two large crimson wings spread from her back. Cloud took a step back as she stretched them out to their full span, they were impressive but they also looked quite soft.

"If you say so Lauren but yeah what you say makes sense. It's just I'm so use to you not wanting others to know that you are different this is hard to get." Samantha said with a laugh as Lauren poked her with one of the wings. Apparently this was just how they were talkative with each other but in Lauren's case not so much with others, from what he knew so far and had seen Cloud figured Lauren would be a good match for Vincent.

"Let's go Strife and FYI; I am not looking for any kind of romance with anyone that is only going to break my heart. I think I've had enough shit in my life that dealing with that is just not worth it to me anymore. And Samantha keep your mind outta the gutter and your hands where they should be." Lauren said laughing when Sam blushed and looked at the ground. Apparently these two were the perfect pair though Cloud still didn't know if they were just close friends or related to each other.

Getting on Fenrir Cloud noted that Samantha's touch was light but burning through his clothing, it was like an instant electric current passing from her to him and back again. Ignoring the feeling of her touch he started the bike and headed off towards AVALANCHE headquarters figuring it was the best place to take them because there were lots of rooms there. Suddenly Cloud noticed a large shadow on the ground in front of him and sparing a glance above him he noticed that Lauren was flying over him making sure to stick close.

Turning his attention back to the road Cloud took each turn at high speeds and rather tightly before cutting the engine and pulling into a small lot in front of a massive building. "Welcome to the home of AVALANCHE. Hopefully you two will feel comfortable enough here with the others." Cloud said as he quickly got off his bike and helped Samantha down. She looked like she wanted to drop to her knees and kiss the ground in front of her.

Laughing Lauren touched down lightly beside Samantha and wrapped her arms around her. "Don't worry I think you'd much prefer riding with Cloud than flying with me. As I involve heights and he just involves driving like an idiot at high speeds." She said in a soothing tone, once again showing Cloud that there was something else beneath that icy exterior.

"Come on I'll show you guys where you can stay, though I'll warn you some of the others act odd especially Reno." Cloud says heading towards the building. Once there he held the door opened for Samantha and Lauren who had hidden her wings again. She definitely piqued his interest as to just exactly what she was capable of but he didn't dare to ask her.

"Who's he and what is his odd behaviour 'cause I've been around Lauren since we were kids and she acts very odd at times." Samantha said giggling at the look Lauren was giving her. It clearly said that she was in trouble but that she agreed with what had been said. Too many years together had allowed them to pick on each other while still not hurting the others feelings.

"Reno is one of the Turk's who works with AVALANCHE, he's got red hair and grayish-blue eyes, trust me you'll know him once you see him. He tends to flirt outrageously with any woman he sees, especially if they are beautiful." Cloud says glancing quickly at Samantha before looking away blushing. Lauren smiled to herself it looked as if her friend would end up happy again soon enough though she would give the blonde a warning later if she could get him alone for a minute or two.

"Sounds like exactly the kind of guy Lauren loves to rip a new one for. Hey Lauren bet you're gonna be doing just that within an hour of being around him." Samantha said laughing at the look of pure evil on Lauren's face. Cloud couldn't help but chuckle as he walked them into a room with two beds in it, he showed them where the bathrooms were and where the kitchen was.

"Hey Cloud can I talk to you for a minute?" Lauren asked standing in the doorway leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest. She gave Samantha a quick stay where you are look before walking out into the hallway and waiting for Cloud.

"Is something wrong Lauren?" Cloud asked coming to stand in front of her his eyes showing only some of the worry he felt. He didn't know what she wanted but the look on her face gave him the feeling that he was going to get shit for something; it was just a matter of what.

"I see the way you look at her so I'm going to give you one warning and one warning only. That girl is my best friend if you ever dare to break her heart or hurt her in any way shape or form I will not hesitate to break your face and depending on how you hurt her castrate you with a pair of rusted garden shears. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" Lauren asked her face mere inches from his while her eyes shone with honesty, anger and compassion.

"Yeah you've made yourself completely clear Lauren. But I have no intention of hurting her in any way, besides she probably doesn't even like me." Cloud said looking into her eyes before looking at the ground. Lauren took a step back and studied him for a moment but it did not make him feel uncomfortable.

"Listen here Spiky, she likes you I just don't want to see her getting hurt and in the end I will probably not want to see you get hurt either. She's all I got and I don't want anything to happen to her, she is a really good person it is because of her that I am able to keep going every day. If not for her I would have killed you upon seeing you but she gives me the strength to hold onto my humanity. I have no attachment to this world but her, and if she gets hurt by anyone they better run for cover and pray for their sorry ass because I will hunt them down and skin their hide while they still live." Lauren said her eyes going red for just a second before returning to the frozen gold colour that was her apparent norm.

"I understand Lauren and well actually tonight AVALANCHE is having a big party, I can send Elena up with some clothes for you guys if you'd like to come, it'll give you a chance to meet everyone." Cloud said a small smile on his face as he watched Lauren think the offer through. "Don't worry Elena is a good person kinda quiet but really helpful, she won't pry either if you're worried about that. And she has a lot of clothing that either won't fit her or that she just doesn't wear I'm sure some of it will fit you and Samantha." He added waiting for her response.

"Alright send her up just warn her to be careful when she comes in I do tend to be snappy with new people. We will be waiting see you later Spikes." Lauren said ruffling his hair before walking into the room where Samantha waited. She laughed at the look on her friend's face.

"What did you say to him?" Samantha asked her eyes full of curiousity and horror. She knew Lauren had a tendency to be cruel and harsh to new people.

"Relax Sister, I just gave him a friendly little warning about breaking your heart or hurting you. There's a party tonight he's gonna send up a woman named Elena with some clothes for us to try on and whatnot. I'm going to hop in the shower while we wait." Lauren said grabbing a towel and walking into the bathroom before quietly shutting the door.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Samantha got up to answer it revealing a blonde woman standing before her with an armful of clothes. "Hi I'm Elena of the Turks. Cloud said you and your friend needed some clothes and stuff?" Elena asked politely before Samantha nodded her head and moved to the side allowing her into the room.

"I'm Samantha Soresta and my sister will be out of the bathroom shortly." Samantha said sitting down on her bed and looking at the pile of clothes Elena held in her arms. "Just put those down here on the bed," she added moving over a little.

Elena had just placed the clothes on the bed when Lauren came walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her waist and her long silver hair flowing loosely down her back. "Hey you must be Elena right; I'm Lauren Meadows nice to meet you. Mind staying and helping us pick out some good clothes?" Lauren asked pretending to be overly friendly making Samantha laugh.

"Sure I don't mind staying if you want me to, and please do not feel that you have to pretend to be someone you're not when around me. Trust me I work with a pair of assholes so I can handle pretty much anything you throw at me." Elena said leveling her gaze on Lauren who was idly picking through the clothes. Elena laughed when Lauren screamed and jumped up and down upon coming across some blue coloured items. "I take it your favourite colour is blue?" she asked smiling.

"You bet your fucking ass it is! I fucking love blue and I mean like every shade of it." Lauren said grabbing all the blue stuff she could find and tossing it onto her bed. She smiled at Elena and turned around and dropped her towel standing before her bed with just her undergarments on.

"That is a lovely tattoo, what is it supposed to symbolize?" Elena asked upon seeing the tattoo that covered Lauren's entire back with all of its intricate designs.

"Not sure exactly I was born with it so I really don't know what it is meant to stand for." Lauren said turning saddened eyes on Elena who walked over and lightly traced one of the designs on her shoulder.

"They look like ancient symbols, Vincent would probably know more than any of us. They look similar to something he had shown me once when we were working together on a mission for WRO." Elena explained stepping back so Lauren could try on the clothes she had grabbed.

"Hmmm… I just might have to see who this person is but in the meantime, BLUE! Oh wow Elena this top is just to die for are you sure you don't want it?" Lauren exclaimed turning around to show Sam and Elena the aqua tank top that she had on, it had sequins and bright red swirls on it. The colour made Lauren's eyes shine and it complemented her pale skin greatly.

"I never wore it but even if I did like it I think it looks better on you than it ever would on me." Elena said shaking her head with a smile. She turned to Samantha and nodded her head, "I take it you're the purple freak, though it does look good on you with your red hair and it makes your eyes stand out more." She added.

"Yeah you know you're not so bad Elena, maybe we can become friends since we are stuck in this world." Lauren said pulling on a pair of tight fitting black jeans before looking around for a hair tie of some sort. "Hey Elena you got any extra hair ties?" she asked looking at the other woman.

"Yeah I'll go grab some and my extra makeup that was gifted to me but I don't like the colours of it." Elena said before quickly leaving the room. She seemed to be a very good person kind and polite but also honest, all things Lauren looked for in her friends Samantha remembered.

"You seem to have taken to her rather quickly Lauren, that's not like you." Samantha commented once Lauren had returned over to the pile of clothes on Sam's bed. Samantha saw the instant tightening of Lauren's eyes and knew that she had just pointed out something that Lauren wished she hadn't.

"In all honesty Samantha she kinda reminds me of my mom when she was alive and I was younger. Very kind caring and open but also completely honest even if it's not what you want to hear. She is a good person, you heard the way she stood up for herself too and she saw that I was faking being over friendly, she'd make a good friend for us. Besides we need another girl in our group so we can terrorize all the guys." Lauren said shrugging it off and grabbing a couple more items of clothing before going and hanging them up in the closet on her side of the room.

"Oh true I didn't even pay that much attention really, and I'm sorry for bringing it up Lauren. I know how much talking about her still hurts you." Sam said getting up and going to wrap her arms around Lauren's waist trying to comfort her. Suddenly they heard Elena coming down the hall to the room and Sam went back over to the clothes that she was keeping and began to put them away just as Lauren was.

"Hey sorry it took so long had to fight off Reno, I told him if he knew what was good for him he would not follow me unless he wanted Tseng to stick him on desk duty for a week. I have to admit having Tseng as a partner for work has its advantages though god help him if he ever tries anything with me." Elena said ranting on as she set a box full of makeup and various hair accessories down on the table by the door.

"I take it you don't like either of them?" Lauren asked going and grabbing a hair tie from the box before pulling her hair up into a high ponytail. Then she flicked through the makeup taking what she wanted and putting it in a drawer on the dresser beside her bed.

"Can't stand them, though Rude is different. He and I get along great, though Tseng looks down on it he and I are dating and so far things are working out great." Elena said blushing madly as she looked at her hands. She normally didn't talk this openly about stuff like that but for some reason she felt safe talking to Samantha and Lauren.

"Don't worry Elena we trust you also, and if this is comfortable then just roll with it. Besides we need another woman in our group so as to terrorize the guys." Lauren stated her eyes dancing with mischief and humour. She really loved to make men shake in fear and run away it would take a special man to ever be by her side.

"Well I guess I'll leave you two to get ready for the party. Shall I meet you both here in about an hour and we can go down together?" Elena asked looking from Samantha to Lauren and back again.

"Sure," Both women said at the same time laughing at each other. It was so common for them to be in sync like that because of all the years they had known each other but Elena still couldn't help but smile at the silliness of it all.

"Alright then see you two in a bit," Elena said then made her exit closing the door softly behind her. After Elena had left Samantha went and jumped in the shower so that she could wash all the dirt and dried blood from her body just as Lauren had. Both women were ready within a half hour so they just sat and talked while they waited for Elena to come back so they could go down to the party.

"So you think Cloud will come over and talk to me?" Samantha asked as she sat letting Lauren tie her hair up into a French braid while they waited for Elena. Samantha hated trying to do her hair or laundry so Lauren usually took care of those things for her. Lauren quite literally acted like a mother to Samantha and it comforted her now that she didn't have her real mother anymore.

"I think that Spiky will come and try to steal you away to chat and possibly dance." Lauren said laughing as Samantha paled; she had never been good at dancing. "Oh relax it's easy to do if you let the beat tell your body what to do." Lauren added wrapping a hair tie around the end of the braid. She really did think that Cloud would be good for her best friend she just wasn't sure if she could stomach watching it. In truth though Lauren appeared to hate men and she treated them harshly she really did want to find someone who would love her and treat her right. But she tended to always scare off any potential suitors with her personality and icy demeanor, and yet she could not change it.

"Spiky huh? You really like to pick on people don't you Lauren?" Sam asked laughing as she gave Lauren a quick hug of thanks. Though she knew Sam was only teasing Lauren knew that it was true she picked on people so much that she had had few friends back on her planet.

"Actually Sam you're right I do pick on people and I have always enjoyed it but it is also the reason I had so few friends back home. Perhaps I should try not being so mean to people unless they really deserve it, then I might have more friends." Lauren said looking at her hands fighting back tears. She really did want to have friends and so far Cloud and Elena seemed like they were friends for her. Maybe if she could hold her tongue a little bit things would be easier or at the very least she might have one or two more friends.

A soft knock on the door caught their attention and then Elena stuck her head in, "Hey you two ready to go the party has started already." She walked into the room and gave them both a once over before nodding and turning to leave simply expecting them to follow.

Lauren and Samantha followed Elena out linking their arms together as they headed down the hall behind Elena. They were laughing and joking when they got to the top of a big staircase that curved down to the left and right into a large ballroom. There were many people below laughing dancing, talking and eating some of the various foods that were set out like a buffet.

"Ahem, everyone I would like to introduce to you the newest members of AVALANCHE Samantha Soresta and Lauren Meadows." Elena said before stepping aside so that both Sam and Lauren were visible. The women walked up close to the banister with their arms still linked together and smiled down at the room full of people.

Lauren moved to the right pulling Sam down the staircase with her before looking over at her. "Cloud is over by the food let's go." Lauren said pulling Samantha along with her. "Hey Spiky enjoying yourself?" she asked smiling when he groaned at the nickname.

"It's alright I guess, hello Samantha." Cloud said turning his attention to Sam. He smiled and asked her if she wanted to dance. As the two of them walked away a man with brilliant red hair walked up to Lauren.

"Hey babe, having fun?" He asked grinning like he thought he was king shit. He was exactly the kind of guy Lauren loved to rip a new one for them. He looked at her like he thought she was going to just melt into his arms. Boy oh boy was he ever wrong and she was going to show him just how very wrong he was.

"Okay first of all I have a name so use it, secondly just saying here you are so not my type so you may as well keep walking cesspool." Lauren said glaring hatefully into the man's blue-ish gray eyes. She assumed that this was Reno who Cloud had warned her about not that he had anything to worry about anyways; Lauren was a man-eater by nature if the guy was an asshole.

"Shesh sorry Lauren didn't mean to offend you. How's about you come have a dance with me?" Reno asked smiling like a fool still. Apparently he didn't know how to take a hint so Lauren decided to just flat out give him hell for his behaviour.

"Sorry I don't dance for one, for two you're an asshole, for three have you ever heard of taking a god damned fucking hint when someone is not into you? You're nothing but a sex-crazed testosterone ruled little prick who doesn't know what real love is nor do you understand what it means to respect a woman. So why the hell would I want to be anywhere near you, you conceited little fuck job?" Lauren yelled glaring at Reno her golden eyes turning red in anger. Reno swallowed loudly as the entire room had gone quiet when Lauren had begun yelling at him, he was extremely embarrassed now as he turned and practically ran away from Lauren.

"Oh my god Lauren I can't believe you just did that and so loudly too!" Samantha said laughing as she sat down beside Lauren, Cloud moving to sit beside her. Lauren's eyes had returned to normal and she smiled at Samantha and Cloud warmly.

"Well at least he may think twice about being such a pig, god I damn near dropped him. You never had a thing to worry about though Cloud, I can spot an asshole from a mile away, but thanks for worrying for me anyways." Lauren said lightly placing her hand on Cloud's arm smiling at him. "Now you just be sure to take good care of my sister there, and Sam you two decide to do anything put something on the doorknob so I don't walk in." she added laughing as the other woman broke out in a blush along with Cloud.

"Hello Cloud, it's been a while," A deep voice said from behind Lauren. She noticed that the voice held many hidden emotions in it, only she could pick them up because of her extrasensory talents.

"Oh hey Vincent, would you care to join us for a minute?" Cloud asked looking at the man behind Lauren. Vincent simply nodded and sat in the seat beside Lauren which was empty, she noticed that he was aesthetically attractive but she wondered briefly what he was like personality wise.

"So this is Samantha Soresta and Lauren Meadows, they kind got pulled here through a portal of some kind. They're gonna stay though which is sort of nice; I mean we need some fresh faces with AVALANCHE." Cloud said making quick introductions of the two women.

"Agreed, I'm Vincent Valentine." Vincent said looking at Sam before turning his attention to Lauren. "Good job handling Reno by the way, quite entertaining," he added chuckling softly. It was obvious from the look on Cloud's face that Vincent rarely laughed or talked this much. Not that it bothered Lauren; it meant she wouldn't have to do much talking which was always a hard thing for her to do unless it was Sam or someone she felt comfortable with.

"Well he had it coming I mean honestly does he think that I am just going to say oh yes I'll dance with you and you can call me babe? Like fuck holy hell man he reeks of disease and disgusting selfishness and self-centeredness. So not my type, besides I really dislike guys like that." Lauren huffed her eyes rimmed in red before returning to their natural golden hue.

"Hey Sam would you care to dance again?" Cloud asked looking over at Sam. He hoped that she would say yes so he could leave Vincent alone with Lauren, because it appeared that they were similar in personality maybe things would work out for the two of them. Sam nodded her head and the two of them got up and made their way out onto the dance floor.

"So you're not out there dancing?" Vincent asked turning to Lauren and looking at her with a little bit of curiousity. He found it strange that a woman that looked as visually pleasing as she did was not in somebody's arms dancing and having fun.

Looking at him Lauren replied, "Not really my thing to be honest." She had a slight bit of humour shining in her eyes like it was some personal inside joke that only she knew.

"Mine either I only came because everyone was bugging me to since I skipped out last time." Vincent said surprising himself with how open he was being. He normally never talked this much but for some reason he felt comfortable and safe around this woman.

"Some people just aren't meant to be dancers I guess. Say would you like to get away from this excessive noise and maybe come back to my room and get to know each other. You seem like the only one who is anything like me in personality and whatnot." Lauren asked looking up into Vincent's crimson pools with a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Sure anything to escape this madness," Vincent replied standing up and following Lauren up the stairs and away from the party and noise. Cloud watched them go with a smile on his face, maybe now Vincent would finally find what he needed to move on.

"Looks like it's my room tonight, Vincent just left with Lauren leading the way." Cloud whispered into Sam's ear as they danced. Samantha smiled maybe now Lauren would finally find someone who could make her open up or at the very least smile a little more often. It had been far too long since Lauren had been happy or even tried dating someone, maybe now she could move on with her life.

"So Vincent how long ago did it happen?" Lauren asked as she closed the door to her room after putting a tie on the doorknob so Samantha wouldn't bring Cloud back to the room. She turned cold golden eyes on Vincent before moving to sit down on her bed and lean against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.

"To what are you referring?" Vincent asked looking at her curiously before sitting down on the edge of her bed. He didn't know what she was meaning but it somewhat unnerved him that she knew something had happened so easily.

"Your loss how long ago did it happen? It's easy to see that you have suffered some form of loss, it's written all over your eyes and I can hear the pain the grief and sorrow in your voice when you speak." Lauren replied looking at Vincent her expression completely serious. He finally could see just a little bit of emotion in those eyes of hers, they held compassion now.

"About 30 years I guess, she had meant a great deal to me but things fell apart and I lost her. Not something I am proud of nor is it something that I would wish to feel again. It is probably the reason why I have been alone since Cloud woke me from my slumber." Vincent said never once straying from her eyes. He felt that he could be totally honest with her and not have her judge him for his honesty or how he felt.

"I'm sorry that you had to lose someone you loved, but I know exactly how you feel. I lost my mother when I was young and my father left my mother and I when I was really little, Sam's mom adopted me after my mother died, I mean Sam and I had been friends since just before my father left. But I know what it's like, I also lost a lover, I have not been with anyone since." Lauren said looking down at her hands as she spoke about her own life. Vincent could see it was harder for her to talk about this kind of thing than it was for him.

Vincent moved so that he was sitting directly beside Lauren and he gently took her hand in his own. "I never looked for another because I felt that no one would want a monster such as myself to be around them. I have an untold number of demons within myself and the worst of which is Chaos, he is always trying to get out to take control. Why did you not decide to be with anyone?" he asked softly as he looked from their joined hands into her eyes. He could see that it was hard for her to talk about her own past but he wanted to help her because of it.

"I never thought that I deserved to be happy after him, not to mention that back in my own world I was considered a misfit whereas here I seem to fit in better. People use to tease me about my eye colour and the one time I used my wings to save someone I was nearly stoned and beaten to death. I just figured that love was no longer an option for me besides no one ever really caught my eye to be honest. Well until now that is," Lauren said staring into Vincent's eyes the entire time waiting to see the revulsion she had grown so accustomed to from her own planet.

But it never came Vincent continued to look at her with understanding and acceptance, indeed there was even a little animalistic hunger shining within those crimson depths. The slightest smile tugged at his lips and Lauren suddenly decided that she had had enough of being alone. Slowly so as to give him time to push her away before pressing her lips gently against Vincent's and never once did she take her eyes from his. Vincent brought his free hand up and gently cupped Lauren's cheek as he kissed her back softly stroking her cheek.

"I think I'm done being alone and empty, I think that I am going to give love a second chance. What do you think Vincent?" Lauren asked pulling back and staring into his eyes with burning curiousity and a bit of lustful desire shining in her eyes.

"I think that I may join you in that endeavor if you don't mind." Vincent replied before crashing his lips to Lauren's and pulling her body against his own. Gently he moved them so that she was lying underneath him while he continued to kiss her his hands on her hips. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck her fingers twining into his hair.

Lauren gave a light growl when Vincent's claw lightly dug into her side. Noticing her actions he sat up and quickly removed his golden claw and gloves before swiftly removing his cloak and setting them in a pile on the floor. When he turned back to Lauren he noticed that she was staring at him intently. "See something you like?" He teased watching her eyes suddenly burn brightly with desire.

Sitting up and moving to straddle Vincent's lap Lauren purred in his ear, "Oh most definitely, the question is do you think that you will like what you are about to see?" Slowly she removed her top dropping it onto the floor turning her attention back to Vincent's face and eyes.

Growling Vincent leaned forward once again reclaiming her lips his hands roamed her bare back exploring the soft skin looking for sensitive spots. He found one in the curve of her back that had her pushing her chest more firmly against his. Unable and unwilling to stop he slowly undid and removed her bra before adding it to the pile of clothes on the floor. Turning their bodies Vincent was soon once again stretched out over Lauren only this time his hands busied themselves with teasing her nipples.

Lauren let out a soft moan as Vincent slowly began trailing kisses along her neck while his hands slid to begin undoing her belt. The next thing Vincent knew he was on his back with Lauren straddling his waist and her hands sliding along his bare chest, how she managed to remove his shirt so quickly was beyond him but he didn't really care.

"My turn to play I think Vincent, because I plan to strip you piece by piece. Before I do the exact same thing," She purred in his ear as her fingers deftly undid every buckle and belt that held his pants on. She even used her teeth to unzip his pants eliciting a rather loud groan from the man under her. "Oh and the fun hasn't even started yet my dear," She teased resting her still clothed hips on his.

Vincent simply looked up at her his eyes wandering her bared flesh as his breath got caught in his throat, gods she was beautiful beyond belief. Lightly he bucked his hips up into hers grinning as her eyes slid shut in pleasure at the contact. Vincent let his hands slide over her hips before quickly undoing the belt and undoing the button before leaning up and teasing as she had pulling the zipper down with his teeth.

"Vincent!" Lauren cried as he roughly tossed her down onto her back on her bed while he ripped off her pants and underwear. He simply looked up at her with a somewhat devilish smirk before settling himself between her legs and gently nudging her thighs apart so that he could get a taste of her. Lightly he slid his tongue inside of her groaning softly she tasted like heaven to his senses as he began thrusting his tongue in and out of her eliciting moans of pleasure from Lauren as she delved her fingers into his hair.

"Vin, don't keep teasing I want to feel you buried inside of me….please?" Lauren begged looking down at him her eyes full of lust and passion. Complying with her request Vincent slid his body along hers before crashing his lips to hers letting her taste herself on his tongue. He positioned himself at her entrance before easily sliding in, he groaned god she was tight and hot.

Moaning Lauren slid her hands to rest on Vincent's back as she kissed him deeply starting a battle of the tongues which she easily won. Vincent began a slow steady pace which Lauren quickly got tired of so she rolled them over so that she was in top. Bracing herself on Vincent's chest Lauren slid her legs in closer to his body and began sliding up and down on his erection both of them groaning. Vincent's hands found Lauren's hips as he helped her move up and down faster and harder each time as he bucked his hips up to meet her thrust for thrust.

Lauren suddenly threw back her head laughing a deep sensual laugh of pure pleasure as Vincent began to lightly suck on her neck biting the skin making sure to leave a nice dark mark behind. Lauren apparently had the same idea because she once again rolled them over so that Vincent was again on top before latching onto him. Her mark was much more expertly placed and made, but Vincent had a feeling that was something she liked.

Deciding to make this more fun Vincent slowly slipped her legs over his shoulders allowing him to go in deeper as he pounded into her faster and faster each time. Lauren was all but screaming now as Vincent hit that spot inside of her again and again. Sensing that she was close to the edge Vincent took his thumb and began massaging her hot button. In a matter of a few thrusts Vincent felt her walls contract and relax rapidly around him.

"VINNIE!" Lauren cried as she toppled over that high cliff of ecstasy and into oblivion. Vincent growled at the name but soon groaned as he joined her in the crashing from heaven.

"Lauren," He groaned as he came within her, his movements slowing so as to draw out the pleasure. Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him softly as she panted before laying back against the pillows.

"You're not going anywhere mister," She growled when Vincent went to pull out. Chuckling Vincent simply lay atop her wrapping his arms around her waist and gently kissing her cheeks before kissing her lips.

"Have fun?" Vincent teased raising a raven brow at her as he gave her a genuinely sexy smirk. He knew for a fact that she had had one hell of a good time, but he wanted to hear her say it.

"No I absolutely hated it, you were horrible Vincent Valentine." She quipped laughing at the surprised look on his face before adding, "I jest, never has sex felt so good." She smiled as she nuzzled against Vincent's chest.

"Sex is for animals making love is for those rare few who happen to find their soul mate. I hope you realize I don't plan to let you out of my grasp now," Vincent stated looking at her his eyes burning with so many emotions. Lauren simply smiled and kissed him cuddling into him and closing her eyes before falling into a peaceful sleep in the arms of the man she knew she would love for the rest of her life.

~Meanwhile~

Cloud and Samantha sat taking a break from dancing and instead were talking and just enjoying watching everyone else enjoy themselves, minus of course Reno who had left after Lauren's abuse. Tseng had disappeared a while ago with Elena and Cloud had said they were probably hooking up. Oh how wrong he had been.

"Oh my god! Isn't that Tseng over there?!" Samantha said laughing as she pointed across the room to where a very drunk Tseng and very sober Elena stood. Samantha nearly fell off her chair she was laughing so hard, oh man did Lauren ever miss the fun she thought.

"I'm afraid that is, I guess Elena decided to have a little fun at Tseng's expense this time. Last time he had convinced her to go streaking and I guess she still hasn't forgiven him for it judging by what he's wearing." Cloud said laughing as Tseng walked out onto the dance floor.

Elena had really gone all out Tseng had on a bright red halter top with a black mini skirt and fishnet stocking. Bright red high heels and makeup done to the nines, oh yeah Elena was still holding a grudge. Elena laughed as she took countless pictures of Tseng cross-dressing while drunk, probably to use as blackmail later.

"Wow ya'll really know how to have fun," Samantha laughed wiping tears from her eyes. She looked at Cloud who was watching her with a smile on his lips. Suddenly Sam leaned forward and kissed him, he froze for only a second before he kissed her back. Grabbing her hand Cloud suddenly pulled her towards the stairs.

"Let's swing by my room quickly just in case Lauren didn't take him back there." Samantha said heading towards where her room was. When she got to the door she noticed a tie wrapped around the doorknob, deciding to make sure it wasn't okay to use their room Samantha stuck her head in only to quickly pull it out. "Nope definitely not using my room, though I must say it's about time she found somebody who will treat her right and love all the parts of her besides just her body." Sam said quietly shutting the door.

"Well Vincent's been through a lot the fact that he has finally decided to open up to someone is a good thing. From the sounds of it Lauren's had a rough go of it too huh?" Cloud said taking Sam's hand and leading her down the hall to his room. He had the room all to himself so he simply locked the door once he pulled Sam inside.

Samantha took only a brief glance around before wrapping her arms around Cloud's neck and kissing him deeply. She didn't even wait for him to invite her to remove his clothes before she began to unbutton and unzip the clothes from his upper half. Cloud stiffened for a moment before relaxing and slowly removing Samantha's top tossing it on the floor with his discarded clothes.

"Oh Cloud," Samantha gasped out as she took in the scars that ran across his chest from his various battles with Sephiroth and other things. She lightly ran a finger along them bending and kissing each one softly as if to heal pain that was no longer there.

"Yeah they happened a long time ago, all by the same man but he's dead now. They don't hurt anymore and at the time I had other more important things to worry about so the pain was really not that bad." Cloud said stilling her ministrations and pulling her close to him. He kissed her gently before leading her backwards through his room to the bed and sitting down.

Samantha effortlessly slid onto Cloud's lap smiling down at the blonde. "Someone's a little impatient to have his way so he can kick my ass outta here." Samantha said her face suddenly turning cold as her eyes glared at Cloud.

Laughing Cloud pulled Samantha into a hug before whispering, "Why would I kick you out of here, I plan to enjoy you again and again for the rest of my life until I either die or you get tired of me." He looked up into her eyes his bright with honesty and love, he enjoyed being around her he didn't want it to ever end.

"You really wanna keep me around?" Samantha asked biting her lip. She really liked Cloud and she wanted to spend as much time with him as she could but she didn't want to just be fuck buddies. No she wanted a real relationship she wanted stability and commitment.

"I want to keep you around for a very, very long time Samantha. I want to love and cherish you like you deserve, and I want to wake up every morning to find you beside me." Cloud said before softly kissing her lips. There he had said it and so far she wasn't pushing him away indeed she was kissing him back.

"Then let's get out of these clothes and get to the fun," Samantha said laughing as she quickly stripped out of her pants. She lay down on the bed waiting for Cloud; she lay there watching as he somewhat shyly removed his pants and boxers. Her eyes widened as he turned around to face her, good god he was perfect. Strong muscled and yet there was a softness to him that made Sam's mouth water, she wondered if he felt as good as he looked.

Blushing madly Cloud walked over and lay down beside Samantha on the bed. She gently ran her fingers down his chest and across his abs right down to his erection before gently swirling her fingers around it. When Cloud groaned she figured it was okay to touch there so she began to pump him gently making sure not to hurt him. Groaning Cloud buried his hands into Samantha's braid pulling it out some in the process.

"Mmmmm feels like you're ready for some fun Mr. Cloud Strife." Samantha teased rolling out of his grasp and onto her back on his bed. Cloud simply looked at her for a moment before he rolled himself on top of her; apparently she wasn't the type who liked teasing and foreplay. That is unless she was the one doing it, then it seemed to be okay.

"So you want me to take you right now, no teasing no toying?" Cloud asked looking down into her eyes which were alight with lustful desire. She smiled but didn't move or say anything for a moment.

"Not this time, I just want to feel you inside of me Cloud," Samantha said biting her lip and looking up into his Mako-infused eyes.

"Alright, who am I to deny your request?" Cloud teased sliding inside of her. He couldn't hold back his groan at how tight and hot she was as she closed around him.

When he was all the way in he heard her give a low moan of pleasure which made him smile before he kissed her. Then he pulled out and slid back in slowly which apparently wasn't what Samantha wanted because she bucked her hips up to his silently begging for him to go faster and/or harder.

Complying with her silent demand Cloud began to move faster and harder as Samantha's moans grew louder as she raced towards that incredible high. Wrapping her legs around his waist Samantha continued to move in time with his thrusts as she placed open mouthed kisses against his lips. Apparently she liked to keep her mouth busy Cloud noted as he slipped a hand between their bodies and began to toy with her clit as he continued to drive her into the mattress.

As Samantha crashed over the edge she arched her back and screamed Cloud's name while he ground out hers. As he collapsed atop her afterwards they both looked at each other their eyes saying everything to the other. As they both breathed themselves back to normal Cloud pulled out of her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Samantha rolled so that she was facing him and she cuddled up in his arms closing her eyes and falling into blissful sleep. Cloud softly kissed her forehead before closing his own eyes and falling asleep with the one woman who he felt he could stay with forever.

~The next morning~

Lauren yawned loudly as she opened her eyes and looked around her room. She felt a weight on her chest and looked up she saw Vincent Valentine staring down into her eyes amusement shining in his crimson orbs. "Good morning Lulu," Vincent whispered kissing her before chuckling at the expression on her face.

"Lulu, where the hell did you come up with that one Vincent?" Lauren growled her eyes shining with anger but also a slight bit of humour underneath it. She was angry but also she could see the humour in the situation.

"Considering you decided to call me Vinnie last night I figured I had to give you an equally annoyingly cute nickname. Besides I plan to annoy you as much as possible my love." Vincent replied grinning as he ran his nose along her throat before placing a gentle kiss on the mark he had left the previous night.

"Love? Annoy me as much as possible? Vincent do not insult my intelligence by pretending that you want me by your side and in your bed forever when I bet you plan to run as soon as you can." Lauren said her eyes full of hurt and sadness.

Vincent's eyes filled with shock and then anger as they turned a glowing yellow colour. "You honestly believe me a fool and a liar? If I didn't plan on keeping you by my side until the end of time I would not have allowed you in as close and deep as I did Lauren!" he growled out his eyes still a neon yellow.

"Vincent," Lauren whispered before leaning up and crashing her lips against his and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kept her eyes open watching as his eyes returned to their normal crimson colour and as his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her more firmly against his body. Sighing into the kiss Lauren wiggled a little in his hold before pulling back and gasping.

"Vincent!" She cried realizing that he was still inside of her and from the feel of it he was already extremely interested in continuing what they had started last night.

"Yes love?" Vincent asked grinning seductively down at Lauren. He knew exactly what he was going to do and how she made him feel was not something he was use to. He rolled his hips against hers groaning as she bucked hers in answer.

"So you wanna play I see, well then my dear game on." Lauren purred rolling them so she was straddling his hips groaning as he had slipped out when she flipped their position. She gave him a very sexy little smirk before quickly impaling herself on him moaning as he filled her.

~Meanwhile~

Samantha rolled over in the bed looking in awe at the man who lay beside her sleeping still. She could not believe that she had actually had made love with this man and that he wanted her to stay by his side forever. Smiling softly she moved her hand down and lightly wrapped it around Cloud semi-hard penis and gave it a gentle tug.

Groaning Cloud's hips gave a small buck towards her hand. Smiling Sam pushed Cloud so that he was lying on his back with her straddling him. Grinning like an imp as she slipped him inside of her. Waking up Cloud groaned as his eyes opened to the sight of Samantha moving up and down on him, riding him like he was the most exciting of rides at a fair.

"Good morning sleepy head, it's about time you woke up." Samantha said grinning down at her lover. Yes she accepted that they were going to be together until death decided to separate them. He actually wanted to have her by his side for years to come he loved her and wasn't going to hurt her ever.

"Sorry I overslept hun, long night you see," Cloud said smiling as he rolled Samantha underneath of him. He planned to enjoy this now that he was awake and seeing as Samantha was willing. God she made him feel like he was never going to get enough of her like he could stay in bed for weeks with her and still want more.

"Well then maybe you should try not to stay up so late or to over exert yourself, it could turn out to be bad for your health you know. And I would hate for such a viable specimen to have to go to waste." Samantha purred nibbling on his neck while her hands ran down his back. Cloud groaned as she continued to nip playfully at his neck while he drove her into the mattress as hard as he could.

They were both so caught up in their moment that they didn't hear the soft knock on the door nor did they notice the redheaded face that poked into the room only to quickly disappear. "Oh god I so did not need to see that, ugh!" Reno grumbled as he closed the door quietly. As he shook his head he walked down the halls towards Lauren's room to see if she was free to talk.

This time he knocked a little louder but when he once again got no answer he opened the door and stepped inside. Once he lifted his eyes from the floor he was met with the sight of Lauren riding Vincent blood pouring from his neck which Lauren kept leaning down and licking up. It was oddly erotic but also utterly disgusting.

"Reno I suggest that you leave now before I fry your ass into charcoal," Lauren hissed out turning to face Reno her eyes a deep glowing red and her voice held a dual tone as if two people were speaking. But it was her eyes that held him frozen where he was. His mouth hung open his eyes were wide and full of fear, curiousity, lust and repulsion. He looked like a deer caught in the head lights or like a man caught with his pants down in the bed of another man's wife.

"Yeah sorry, I didn't…. Eepp!" Reno yelped running from the room as a massive fireball came his way. He quickly closed the door and then leaned against it trying to calm himself; he was pretty sure he had just dropped a log and pissed himself. She was a fucking vampire and a demon not to mention a total bitch, god he was thankful he hadn't caught her.

"You know he probably would have left without you having to do that," Vincent said watching as Lauren turned back to face him.

"You want him staring at my naked body as if it was his to touch?" She countered.

Vincent growled and his grip on her hips became painful his nails digging in and drawing blood. "No! You are my mate and mine alone no one else looks at or touches you!" Vincent growled out biting her neck as if to prove she was his.

Lauren moaned her back arching pressing her chest firmly against Vincent's as she began to ride him again moving slowly up and down drawing it out and teasing him. She lowered her head and began to drink of the blood that still flowed from the wound on Vincent's neck before licking over the mark and sealing it off so he would not die from blood loss.

A few hours later Lauren and Vincent left the room and went down to the kitchen to get something to eat. As Lauren was walking in her eyes lit upon Samantha and Cloud the former was pressed against the table while the latter attacked her mouth. "Either get a room or get the fuck outta my kitchen, this room is for cooking not fucking." Lauren snapped growling at the pair who now looked embarrassed.

"Sorry Lauren," Cloud said moving to sit on one of the seats in the kitchen his entire face and body rigid like he expected her to attack. Lauren just shook her head and moved to go and make something to eat because she was fucking starving.

Vincent sat down trying to hide the mark Lauren had made on his ear with his hand but Samantha saw it. "Looks like somebody got molested last night, Lauren better not be hurt or I will cut you." Samantha hissed glaring at the man.

"Relax I am perfectly fine just a tiny little mating mark on my neck, you know I'm the type to do the molesting not the other way around." Lauren said turning and smiling at Sam. It was so easy in that moment to see just how close they were and how much they cared about each other.

"I know but I have to make sure that my sister remains okay after all who else is going to kick ass with me?" Samantha asked laughing at the looks on Cloud and Vincent's faces. They both had looks of fear and amazement mixed with admiration.

"I would never harm Lauren in any way unless it is something that she asks of me to do." Vincent said turning his eyes to Sam showing his honesty. Samantha seemed satisfied with his answer as she nodded and then began chatting with Lauren. Cloud and Vincent looked at each other with mirrored looks of contentment.

Cloud had finally found the one woman who could help him see that it was himself that he needed to forgive; no one needed to forgive him. Vincent had finally found someone who took the pain away and helped him keep Chaos under control with great ease. Both had found their other half, the one who seemed to be made to fit in their arms and against their bodies.

For Samantha she had found someone who she could love and who would love her exactly as she was without ever trying to change a damned thing about her. And for Lauren she had found someone who took her pain away and who willingly accepted her demons and all. Both girls had found their reasons to try and settle in and settle down here in Gaia in their respective men and they were surprisingly happy about everything that had happened now.

"So did you two get an unexpected and very rude visitor during your…fun?" Lauren asked looking from Samantha to Cloud. The couple both nodded their heads and Cloud growled softly his eyes turning murderous. "Same here though I doubt he will be back anytime soon, I kinda scared him I think." Lauren added laughing at the murderous amusement in Vincent's eyes.

"Oh god Lauren do I even want to know what you did?" Samantha asked laughing.

"No, I highly doubt that you want to hear about what I did to Reno. But all I can say is I had a blast freaking him out." Lauren said dissolving into a fit of giggles as Vincent wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah well Reno tends to be a bit of an asshole and he is far too nosy for his own good if you ask me." Cloud added as he sat beside Samantha.

"Most men are to be honest." Lauren quipped grinning again. Vincent poked her in the ribs which earned a squeaky giggle from her. "Don't poke crazy people you may not like the results." She added.

"And what if I do like the results huh?" Vincent asked smiling softly at her.

"Oh my god! You do know how to smile," Cloud exclaimed teasing Vincent.

"Yes I do know how to smile but apparently you don't know when to shut up." Vincent retorted before turning his attention back to Lauren.

"He's got you there," Samantha said winking at Lauren who just sighed contentedly and cuddled closer to Vincent.

The group then broke down into a conversation about what they were all going to do with their time and what they were thinking of doing with their lives. The girls wanted to go out and find places to settle down both looking for different communities. Samantha wanted to live in a big city where she didn't feel like she was so odd and stuck out. However, Lauren wanted to live in a small town where she could be surrounded by nature and have peaceful memories.

Cloud agreed that a big city would be nice so that he could have lots of jobs for his delivery business that he ran on the side when not on missions for AVALANCHE. Vincent had also agreed with Lauren that a smaller town would be nice and that having nature surrounding them would work out well because then if they ever had children they could teach them to value nature and the planet.

"Well I guess that I better go get showered and changed into something else so that we can go and start searching huh?" Lauren said smiling at Vincent. She kissed his forehead then headed up for her room.

Samantha bid Cloud goodbye and followed Lauren so that she could also go and get ready to hunt out a house in Midgar. The two girls linked arms and walked upstairs to their bedroom talking all the while about their evenings with their respective men. They truly had no secrets between them and they shared everything but the very personal details of their evenings.

To anyone who looked at them from afar it was clear to see that they cared deeply for one another but it was even more plainly clear that Lauren was the more highly protective of the pair while Samantha was one who seemed to prefer being protected by Lauren. They looked like they could almost be sisters and they prided themselves on that fact.

They had spent most of their lives together and to them there would never be anyone that would ever be able to take the other ones place. They were too tightly bound together for there to ever be a chance for them to fall apart. They would always be there no matter what time of the day it was and no matter how bad of a day they had had themselves. They were quite truly soul-mated sisters.

"So how long do you think it'll be before one of them ends up pregnant?" Cloud asked Vincent after a few minutes of silence.

"Not sure but if I am to be honest I wouldn't mind if Lauren came to me in a few weeks saying that she was pregnant… I think that I have finally found the faith to believe that my sins can be forgiven within her." Vincent said. That was actually a big thing for Vincent who had always thought that he would never be forgiven his sins.

"Yeah I know what you mean, Samantha has given me hope that my sins can be forgiven too. She has given me a reason to move on and let the past remain as just that the past. I need to start looking toward the future and stop hanging onto a past that will never become a future." Cloud said smiling softly.

It seemed like all these two men needed were the right women to make everything that was wrong in their lives right again. And to give their hearts the kick start that was needed to keep them going for a long time to come. They had been given a very important and meaningful gift from their respective women and it seemed to make everything worthwhile now.

Lauren stepped from the bathroom wrapped in a towel so that Samantha could go in and take her shower while she got dressed and did her hair. She put her long straight silver hair up into a braided bun then tied it down with a band. She then started to put on a lovely deep aqua v-neck top and dark blue jeans. She smiled liking to see how the blue made little flecks of sapphire appear in her golden eyes.

Samantha walked out of the bathroom shortly after and proceeded to put on a deep purple tank top and black jeans before letting Lauren put her hair up into a braided bun like hers. They truly looked more like sisters now than they had before. They smiled at each other in the mirror before grabbing sunglasses and heading downstairs to go out with their respective guys.

Both Cloud and Vincent looked up when they heard the footsteps of Samantha and Lauren approaching the kitchen. Their faces broke into smiles when they saw how beautiful their girlfriends looked. Vincent stood and took Lauren in his arms kissing her softly while she ran her fingers through his hair. Cloud also took Samantha into his arms but it was she who kissed him as she toyed with his spiky blonde locks.

Neither couple noticed that other people were coming into the kitchen as they made out with their lovers. It wasn't until Elena started giggling that both pairs broke apart looking ever so much like deer trapped in the headlights of a truck on a back country road. However, Lauren recovered the quickest and gave a shy smile to the newcomers and then taking Vincent's hand she left with Cloud and Samantha following behind them.

"Looks like we got a little carried away." Cloud whispered to Samantha.

"You think blondie?" Samantha replied giggling softly.

Lauren was silent as was Vincent but they were holding hands and heading off for Gongaga while Samantha and Cloud headed towards the edge of Midgar to find someplace to settle down. Both couples were happy and smiling as they headed off to find their new homes. Samantha and Cloud were the first to agree upon a house, it was big enough that they could use part of it for business.

Lauren and Vincent were in Gongaga and they had found a nice little house and the townspeople had welcomed them as a new couple to the tiny town. They got settled in the house and Vincent went and grabbed the stuff that Elena had given to Lauren to have so that she could start setting up the house how she wanted it.

Both couples were settling into their new lives well, it appeared that having a little faith was all that was needed in order to make two lone wolves with broken hearts recover and see the good in the world again. Also a little faith was all that was needed for two outcasts to find their place in a world different from the one they knew but also exactly what they needed.


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Romance