Past Hauntings

Past Hauntings
By Dora Cianfarra
Chapter 5

Hospital’s window was open to summer night breeze. Within the shadows, Vincent stayed hidden from the nurse’s view as she checked the monitors and the iv’s to be sure all was secured for the night. The moonlight poured through the room, making Cid’s sickly look worse than it was.

Vincent drew himself to the bed, once he was assured that nurse had left the room. He placed a finger on Cid’s arm, the pulse was steady.

He stared at Cid’s breathing…the cuts….the machines attached to him. Cid’s agonized screams played eternally in his mind. Peace would never find him now. Did he have the right to be here? He wasn’t sure.

It was his fault that he went drinking. He remembered the arms that held him in a tight embrace and ….the kiss that devoured him. {It felt... nice} Rufus had also kissed him-his body shivered in remembrance.

Between the two, he could not fathom what to do. He didn’t like to hurt either of them but he didn’t know where all this was leading. It was bad enough that his sorrow was haunting him but now these flashes were added to the list.

He needed answers before he’d truly have a meltdown ….the one flash that talked about ‘love’ with another man. He found truth of himself staggering. Lucretia Crescent was all love history he remembered. He barely cared about his life before the loss of his memory, never questioned it. Now it couldn’t be ignored.

Cid’s breathing changed from peaceful to erratic pants. He viciously struggled against the sheets,” No!!!” They pounded into his body as the electrical charges fried his body pushed his mind over the edge.

Vincent seized his arms to avoid the bloody mess with IV’s from detaching, “Cid!”His hands held him down like the ropes tighten. He held back the tears as gathered Cid into his arms. Vincent leaned down to whisper into the ear.

“Cid wake up” the warmth of the embrace had pierced through the veil of pain. A soothing voice was slithering into his hell. Was this a trick …couldn’t handle this one…it was too cruel…good pet…good pet.

“Stop! Please… no more” Cid shivered. Vincent held him tighter

“Wake up please….shhhhhh” Vincent with his good hand caressed his cheek. The soft hand caressing his cheek brought him out the murky world of nightmares, “Vince?”His breathing was beginning to slow down as warmth of those arms seeped into his.

“Yes, it’s me; you are safe- I’ve killed those who hurt you.”Vincent had to blot out Chaos’s snarled venom. The strangled hold that Cid had on him didn’t allow for much room to move away. The eerie sensations of human contact that had to be silenced, the guilt alone did it. Vincent held on to him as Cid’s tremors receded.

“Where am I?”Cid voiced a scratchy tone.

“You are in the Midgar Emergency Hospital”

“How long?”

“You’ve been asleep for two days. They’ve sedated you to give you time to heal. Do want to talk about what woke you up? ” Vincent wanted to help him release some of the horror.

“I don’t wanna relive that shit over…”Cid’s pain brought memories in vivid detail. Having
Vincent hold him, kept the turmoil at bay. He would have continued the contact if the last memory of Vincent was not a cruel reminder of what he could not have.

Cid rose to sit up, it pulled on wounds but it had the effect he wanted- the distance.

“Ahem….er rhanks Vince… for springing me from that death trap” He stared at the threads of his sheets while his fingers plucked at them. Cid couldn’t bare to look at Vincent.
Ashamed …he lost his …before Vincent there were no other male experience. He didn’t know he swung that way until he was faced with a view of Vincent talking to a stranger who had approached him for some drinks. His boiling reaction had rocked his world. Before Vincent, nobody had him react that way.

He had spent time alone on missions, making excuses that he had to think of new ways to make his engines more fuel efficient. Rufus had complained of financial expenses were too great. It took him a few months of pondering away at the idea of same gender intimacy to finally be comfortable to tease Vincent about it. It galled him to no end that he was reacting like virginal prude. Unfortunately for him that it took this to make him understand, the women he had teased in his life, what they felt.

“Don’t thank me….I’m to blame.”Vincent stared hard at the floor. Vincent viciously tried to block the screams; they were affecting him beyond expectations. His body was reacting to them with tremors. He didn’t want another episode of those flashes. He had to focus - to calm himself.

Cid had been on too much medication to notice but the remorse in Vincent’s voice bled his heart, “Ah shit, Vince, It’s not your fault, the bitch fooled me”

“….”Vincent could not let it go.

“Why are you here?”Cid tried to change the subject

“To make sure you’re okay.” Vincent responded miserably

“ Nah-go back to Rufus…he’s....the one-“Cid didn’t want the pity he thought he saw through Vincent eyes.

“You are the injured one, he’s not” Vincent tried to point out the obvious.

“Please leave, Vince…I don’t need a babysitter” Cid answered in a bitter tone. It was bad enough the doctor and nurses had to check the area where he felt so ashamed and threatened at the same time. He wanted to be left alone.

‘Cid”

“GO!” Cid turned to his side to show his back.

Defeated sigh slipped from Vincent lips. “I be back for visiting hours”

The next morning, the doctor and nurse left the room as Rufus walked in and sat on the chair next to Cid. Cid drew his sheets to his chin to protect himself from the world and it also hid the raw nerves of tension, “What are you doing here? Don’t you know I need rest?”

It hurt him to see his friend sink into the bed, “Came to see you if my best pilot needed anything and also…wanted to apologize…I didn’t know you had a relationship with Vincent“ Rufus answered in soft voice with a face flushed.

It galled Cid “We don’t …I’ve been trying for months to get him to share something but you come along and he’s all over you. You win. You can have him…make sure-“

“There is nothing to make sure, Cid” Vincent came in through the door. Eyes piercing both men, he walked up to Rufus, “What are you doing here?” The calm composure belied the internal battle, the image of their kissing was torturing Vincent again. The grim angel had walked from the heavens to take Rufus’s soul. He had no way of knowing it was mutual torture. It plagued him every night of their moment together. He had closed his eyes before he would show what was on his mind and crossed his legs to hide the fact.

Cid’s eyes peered over to where Rufus was and witnessed the ‘tent’ he obviously tried to hide. “Are you crossing your legs cause of Vince?” He enjoyed the sweetness of revenge. He’d roast the two of embarrassment.

Rufus and Vincent were with perfect tints of red as Cid continued,” Aw! You guys look like blushing brides.”

“Cid!” Vincent bit back.

Rufus cleared his throat as he gave his retort “I’m glad to see your humor wasn’t damaged” Cid grinned foolishly and then he said,” That’s one thing those dumb fucks couldn’t touch.” Vincent winced at the reminder of the ordeal as he gave Rufus a side look of inquiry, demanding to be answered.

“I came by to check if our best pilot needed anything and to apologize for the misunderstanding” Rufus stared at Cid to convince him of it.

“What misunderstanding are you talking about?”Vincent was clearly confused.

“I wasn’t aware you two had a relationship-“

“There was no relationship.”Vincent looked at Cid with painful eyes as he saw the sheets were drawn closer to him when Cid faced away. Vincent had to change the subject, “ What did the doctor say?”

Still not looking at them, “After all their damn poking, they said that I’ll need four stitches and I’ll be on a liquid diet for some days. Lovely ain’t it? If I get my hands on that female whore that tricked me-“Cid’s hands fisted as he imagined the thrill of doing it.

“Female whore- what?” Vincent found himself asking softly, those ruby colored eyes locking on Cid's blue ones. {I didn't sense her presence when I got there} It made him tense up just slightly as a wave of unease came over him, he hid it from the two blondes and waited Cid's answer.

Cid finally faced Vincent" You think I would join those dumb fucks,..The bitch Jackie, she called herself, was the one who supposed to join me in my bed.” His eyes glanced at Vincent for a moment noticed the tension but he continued on with down cast eyes,” I… I was too drunk for my own good, I tell ya. Once we found ourselves on the bed, my head spun as I shut my eyes. Then I find myself tied up. Well, I said to her, “YOU are into kink? Aaah we are in for good time. The bitch smiled at me and said 'I hope so.” I should got it then...but with my head fucked, it flew over my head. Then I see...see those two dumb fucks. You see, Jackie was their bait. They paid her for it. I want her to pay badly...but I'm not much on killing women.

Vincent had laid his hand to his head to blot out Chaos lamentations of wanting to be out and kill her. His lamentating was pounding him a new one. Rufus rose from his chair, he wanted to approach him to help him. “Vincent, are you alright?

"Chaos has been hissing revenge since I found Cid. How do we go about it?"He shook his head and walked away to the window. He was sensing this was not the end. His nerves with the pounding headache made him more edgy.

Rufus approached Cid to face him but his ethereal soul was behind Vincent embracing him, wishing that he could soothe him. "I can stake out the clubs with our men in undercover mode. We’ll find that female somehow. I’ll let you know as soon we find anything “

“The bitch is not going to be hanging at that club, if she knows what's good for her. I appreciate you keeping me informed on this, thanks man” Cid slowly looked up to see Rufus’s hand open for a handshake which Cid gave his to comply but he saw the challenge in Rufus eyes – may the best man win.

“Well I'll leave; I'm going to set this up, see you later. Cid, get well soon “Rufus flicks his eyes toward Vincent and turns his back to leave.

“Wait! I’m coming with you-“Vincent starts to move in his direction.

“No, you need to stay here and watch over Cid. They’ll want revenge for the loss of life and you’ll be recognized.” Rufus locked eyes with Vincent. Vincent had to consent.
Vincent nodded his head as his eyes squeezed shut.

Rufus so much wanted to hold him in his arms but Cid’s glare was denying him of Vincent. Now was not the time. Rufus left them with a heavy heart. He did not know when he’d have a chance with Vincent again. It was time to plan a scheme for himself and his men.

Down in the hospital’s lobby, Tseng was waiting for him. Curious eyes stared at Rufus as he saw the determined ones headed towards the car. “Tseng, I require passage to Costa del Sol and all the names of the bars within the area. I’ll be going clothes shopping. What size do you take, Tseng?”Rufus mildly noted that Tseng did not like this one bit.

“Sir, are planning what I think you are? “ A shocked glare from Tseng

“If I said yes, what of it?” Rufus smiled gingerly, got into the car and gave the info to driver where to go.

“Sir, I will go in your stead-“Rufus shot out his arm to stop Tseng “You will go but in addition. We need to use every able body. We have men patrolling the streets as well as Shinra Corp. We are too thinly spread out. I need my field agents where they are. Although, we have height and weight, she can drastically transform herself. It can be any girl now. It’s like searching the proverbial needle in the haystack. We’ll be calling a meeting.”

Rufus stepped out the car when they got to the shop. He saw the strain on Tseng’s face but continued his walk into the shop as Tseng held the door for him and followed him. Tseng knew all too well what Rufus had intended; it was going to be a long afternoon.

Rufus smiled at the clerk as he looked forward seeing Tseng demonstrating some of those clothes. He’d get a chance to see that lovely behind.


It had been a while that her favorite customers hadn’t called her. At the regular hang out, she found out that her customers had not been in for a while. She walked into the private club for the invited only and it was there she heard the shocked news of their death. What had gone wrong? Did they go too far with their victim; they never killed theirs because they always had masks on. Even she didn’t know who they were. {Oh well, time to find another couple who would require my services elsewhere.} She had to get a letter of introduction from the head so that her invitation would transfer to the next club.

The news hit the brotherhood of the private club hard. Details of their slaughter ate at them to the core. When they had found out who was their murder, they were out for blood, but they knew that Vincent Valentine was out of their league but maybe people that surrounded him would be better targets.