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I found her alone. Wandering through the forests like a phantom... Or maybe that was me...? She startled me... Not that I didn't know she was there, but... Her face... She looked exactly like her... Staring back at me like a ghost from the past... "... Lucrecia..." I stepped forward only to watch her disappear... I reached out for her... Maybe she was a ghost...? I heard a soft laughter swirl around me before fading off into the trees. I followed the laughter to be led to a cave... Her cave... She's leading me inside... Why...? I walked in silence, only the echo of my footsteps reaching my ears. The chill grew as I crept deeper into the darkness, I had only my coat to help fight back the biting cold. I didn't mind though... I deserve far worse than that for all that I've done... I thought of what Cloud told me; that we needed to forgive ourselves. How could I ever forgive myself for this? For what happened to her? For what happened to everyone? A wisp of light floated past me to the center of the cavern, I watched as it turned the corner and faded away. I looked behind me to see two more follow suit, all leading me further inside. This was unusual... More wisps floated past beckoning me into the middle chamber. When I arrived they all gathered at the center crystal which encased her body, waiting patiently for me. I stopped about a foot away and watched, they did nothing, all except for one. It reached out to me and pulled me closer. I blinked surprised as they brought my hand up to her. I rested my hand on her face, wishing that she would come back to me... "Lucrecia, I..."

"Shh..." My eyes shot open, her body remained motionless as her voice echoed around me, "You need to let me go... Forgive yourself..."

"I-I can't..."

"This wasn't your decision, Vincent... This was mine. I alone must atone for it... Not you..." Her voice was so soft yet burdened by sadness.

"But-."

"Your heart still needs healing... After what I've done... I'm sorry, Vincent."

"Don't apologize," I stroked her face with my thumb.

"Please. I need to hear that you forgive me."

It took me a moment to reply, "I... Forgive you Lucrecia..."

She let out a breathe of relief, "Thank you so much!"

"I need to hear that you forgive me as well..."

I could hear a sad smile in her voice, "I forgive you Vincent..." The wisps gathered around me once again, "I know this may not be the best time but... I have something for you-someone..." She corrected. "She can help you heal..."

My brows knit together, "... Who...?"

"... Our daughter..."

"What!?" the shock barely penetrated the softness of my voice. Our daughter!? "Lucrecia, how?"

"She's here..." her voice shook, "In the Lifestream with me... I didn't-I didn't know until... Until it was too late... Hojo he," her voice broke... "He took her from us...! He knew!" Sobs broke free, "If I had known I was already pregnant I wouldn't have-!" Her voice shattered along with my heart. My knees buckled, sending me down to the floor. Tears stung at my eyes, slipping down my face and onto the stone beneath me... All I could do was clench my hands as the pain wracked my body... "Please forgive me, Vincent! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I struggled to breathe as a buzzing sound filled my ears and the numbing cold overtook me once again.

When I awoke she was beside me, wrapped in clothes similiar to mine... I couldn't believe it... I reached out to touch her, flinching back when she breathed in heavily and nuzzled her face into my arm. She was so small and fragile, barely Marlene's age... I stroked her brown hair behind her ear and a smile came to my lips; she looked almost exactly like her mother. "I'm sorry, Vincent."

"I don't blame you," I told her softly, "Hojo was the one who did this. Not you..."

She remained silent for a moment, "She's such a beautiful little girl... She has your eyes..."

A smile found its way onto my lips once more, "She is beautiful..."

"... I wish... I wish we could've watched her grow up... Together... The Goddess granted me this wish; that she could be with you... I'm giving up the last of my life to help her live..."

"Lucrecia-!" I tried to get up to touch her but was weighed down by the sleeping bundle in my arms.

"It's okay, Vincent," her voice seemed to lighten, "I know you'll be an excellent father to her... I-I named her Eliora. Eliora Valentine. Do you like it...?" She sounded so unsure, hesitant.

I nodded, "Yes. It's wonderful," I said looking down at our daughter.

She sounded so relieved, "Good! That makes me so happy!" she paused for a moment and her tone changed once again, "This may be the last time I get to talk with you... I-I love you, Vincent... I always have... You have always been the one and only man I ever loved..."

"Please! Please, Lucrecia! Don't say goodbye!"

"I love you both so much!" I could hear her voice breaking into sobs.

"Please don't leave me! Please don't leave us...! Lucrecia! I-I love you!" I could feel her smiling as the light faded and we were left alone in the dark.

Eliora stirred; stretching and rubbing her eyes before looking up at me, the surprise on her face slowly spreading into the largest smile, "Daddy!" She threw her arms around me nuzzling her face into my shoulder... I-I wasn't sure what to do at first... After a moment I hugged her back... This is our daughter... I still couldn't believe it... Would I wake from this dream to find her gone...? I couldn't bear the thought of that, I hugged her tighter, stroking her hair.

"I-I'm here..."

"Mommy told me that she was going to send me to you. I didn't know that she could..."

My heart quivered, "I didn't know she could either..." I pressed my head against hers, "I'm sorry... Eliora..."

"For what?"

"For not protecting you..."

"I'm okay," We stayed like that for a long time, holding onto each other, I was so afraid she would disappear and leave me alone again... "Dad?"

Her soft voice calling me dad... It was so surreal to me that I didn't answer for a moment, "Yes?"

"I'm... I'm hungry..." I grunted in acknowledgement, thinking about what I could get her as I picked her up and carried her out of the cave, saying one last goodbye to Lucrecia before we left completely. I haven't needed to eat since I awoke from my death, so I never really had to think about where to get it or how to prepare it... Now that I have to take care of her I'm going to have to remember the needs of the living. "What's wrong?"

I blinked, "Nothing. I was just trying to remember what I'll need to take care of you."

"Oh," she rested her head on my shoulder again. Her crimson eyes blinking back at me, with her mother's smile on her face.

"You look so much like your mother..." I said absently. I didn't realize what I had said until her face lit up.

"She told me that I look a lot like you!" she giggled. The sound of her laughter warmed my heart. I realized that making me smile was something she did quite easily and frequently. I could feel the ice of my heart melt just a little. "What do you like to do?"

My eyebrows went up a little; I wasn't often asked this question. I thought for a moment, "I'm... Not really sure..." I thought of the bar and how Tifa, Cloud, Yuffie, Marlene, and Denzel would always be there playing around and acting like a real family...

"Are you upset?"

She looked so concerned, "No. I just- remembered something..."

"What?"

It took me a moment to be able to say it, "I remembered..." I drifted, "... I remembered how much I've always wanted a family of my own... To be a father..."

Her face lit up with an amazing grin as she threw her arms around my neck. "I love you, daddy!"

"I-I love you too, Eli..."

I jumped in surprise when she kissed my cheek, "I like being called Eli," she nuzzled her face into my shoulder again causing a warm fuzzy feeling to spread throughout my chest. I realized then that Lucrecia was right, Eli was going to heal my heart...

Description
I found her alone. Wandering through the forests like a phantom... Or maybe that was me...? She startled me... Not that I didn't know she was there, but... Her face... She looked exactly like her... Staring back at me like a ghost from the past... "... Lucrecia..." I stepped forward only to watch her disappear... I reached out for her... Maybe she was a ghost...? I heard a soft laughter swirl around me before fading off into the trees. I followed the laughter to be led to a cave... Her cave... She's leading me inside... Why...? I walked in silence, only the echo of my footsteps reaching my ears. The chill grew as I crept deeper into the darkness, I had only my coat to help fight back the biting cold. I didn't mind though... I deserve far worse than that for all that I've done... I thought of what Cloud told me; that we needed to forgive ourselves. How could I ever forgive myself for this? For what happened to her? For what happened to everyone? A wisp of light floated past me to the center of the cavern, I watched as it turned the corner and faded away. I looked behind me to see two more follow suit, all leading me further inside. This was unusual... More wisps floated past beckoning me into the middle chamber. When I arrived they all gathered at the center crystal which encased her body, waiting patiently for me. I stopped about a foot away and watched, they did nothing, all except for one. It reached out to me and pulled me closer. I blinked surprised as they brought my hand up to her. I rested my hand on her face, wishing that she would come back to me... "Lucrecia, I..."

"Shh..." My eyes shot open, her body remained motionless as her voice echoed around me, "You need to let me go... Forgive yourself..."

"I-I can't..."

"This wasn't your decision, Vincent... This was mine. I alone must atone for it... Not you..." Her voice was so soft yet burdened by sadness.

"But-."

"Your heart still needs healing... After what I've done... I'm sorry, Vincent."

"Don't apologize," I stroked her face with my thumb.

"Please. I need to hear that you forgive me."

It took me a moment to reply, "I... Forgive you Lucrecia..."

She let out a breathe of relief, "Thank you so much!"

"I need to hear that you forgive me as well..."

I could hear a sad smile in her voice, "I forgive you Vincent..." The wisps gathered around me once again, "I know this may not be the best time but... I have something for you-someone..." She corrected. "She can help you heal..."

My brows knit together, "... Who...?"

"... Our daughter..."

"What!?" the shock barely penetrated the softness of my voice. Our daughter!? "Lucrecia, how?"

"She's here..." her voice shook, "In the Lifestream with me... I didn't-I didn't know until... Until it was too late... Hojo he," her voice broke... "He took her from us...! He knew!" Sobs broke free, "If I had known I was already pregnant I wouldn't have-!" Her voice shattered along with my heart. My knees buckled, sending me down to the floor. Tears stung at my eyes, slipping down my face and onto the stone beneath me... All I could do was clench my hands as the pain wracked my body... "Please forgive me, Vincent! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" I struggled to breathe as a buzzing sound filled my ears and the numbing cold overtook me once again.

When I awoke she was beside me, wrapped in clothes similiar to mine... I couldn't believe it... I reached out to touch her, flinching back when she breathed in heavily and nuzzled her face into my arm. She was so small and fragile, barely Marlene's age... I stroked her brown hair behind her ear and a smile came to my lips; she looked almost exactly like her mother. "I'm sorry, Vincent."

"I don't blame you," I told her softly, "Hojo was the one who did this. Not you..."

She remained silent for a moment, "She's such a beautiful little girl... She has your eyes..."

A smile found its way onto my lips once more, "She is beautiful..."

"... I wish... I wish we could've watched her grow up... Together... The Goddess granted me this wish; that she could be with you... I'm giving up the last of my life to help her live..."

"Lucrecia-!" I tried to get up to touch her but was weighed down by the sleeping bundle in my arms.

"It's okay, Vincent," her voice seemed to lighten, "I know you'll be an excellent father to her... I-I named her Eliora. Eliora Valentine. Do you like it...?" She sounded so unsure, hesitant.

I nodded, "Yes. It's wonderful," I said looking down at our daughter.

She sounded so relieved, "Good! That makes me so happy!" she paused for a moment and her tone changed once again, "This may be the last time I get to talk with you... I-I love you, Vincent... I always have... You have always been the one and only man I ever loved..."

"Please! Please, Lucrecia! Don't say goodbye!"

"I love you both so much!" I could hear her voice breaking into sobs.

"Please don't leave me! Please don't leave us...! Lucrecia! I-I love you!" I could feel her smiling as the light faded and we were left alone in the dark.

Eliora stirred; stretching and rubbing her eyes before looking up at me, the surprise on her face slowly spreading into the largest smile, "Daddy!" She threw her arms around me nuzzling her face into my shoulder... I-I wasn't sure what to do at first... After a moment I hugged her back... This is our daughter... I still couldn't believe it... Would I wake from this dream to find her gone...? I couldn't bear the thought of that, I hugged her tighter, stroking her hair.

"I-I'm here..."

"Mommy told me that she was going to send me to you. I didn't know that she could..."

My heart quivered, "I didn't know she could either..." I pressed my head against hers, "I'm sorry... Eliora..."

"For what?"

"For not protecting you..."

"I'm okay," We stayed like that for a long time, holding onto each other, I was so afraid she would disappear and leave me alone again... "Dad?"

Her soft voice calling me dad... It was so surreal to me that I didn't answer for a moment, "Yes?"

"I'm... I'm hungry..." I grunted in acknowledgement, thinking about what I could get her as I picked her up and carried her out of the cave, saying one last goodbye to Lucrecia before we left completely. I haven't needed to eat since I awoke from my death, so I never really had to think about where to get it or how to prepare it... Now that I have to take care of her I'm going to have to remember the needs of the living. "What's wrong?"

I blinked, "Nothing. I was just trying to remember what I'll need to take care of you."

"Oh," she rested her head on my shoulder again. Her crimson eyes blinking back at me, with her mother's smile on her face.

"You look so much like your mother..." I said absently. I didn't realize what I had said until her face lit up.

"She told me that I look a lot like you!" she giggled. The sound of her laughter warmed my heart. I realized that making me smile was something she did quite easily and frequently. I could feel the ice of my heart melt just a little. "What do you like to do?"

My eyebrows went up a little; I wasn't often asked this question. I thought for a moment, "I'm... Not really sure..." I thought of the bar and how Tifa, Cloud, Yuffie, Marlene, and Denzel would always be there playing around and acting like a real family...

"Are you upset?"

She looked so concerned, "No. I just- remembered something..."

"What?"

It took me a moment to be able to say it, "I remembered..." I drifted, "... I remembered how much I've always wanted a family of my own... To be a father..."

Her face lit up with an amazing grin as she threw her arms around my neck. "I love you, daddy!"

"I-I love you too, Eli..."

I jumped in surprise when she kissed my cheek, "I like being called Eli," she nuzzled her face into my shoulder again causing a warm fuzzy feeling to spread throughout my chest. I realized then that Lucrecia was right, Eli was going to heal my heart...