Timeframe: Sometime after the Final Battle. Cid, Cloud, and Vincent are leaving Lucrecia's cave since Vincent went to tell her that her son was REALLY dead.

Vincent sighed as he followed Cid and Cloud into the harsh sunlight. Cid turned back and offered him a small smile. "C'mon Vince, she took it well..."

"But I did not tell her the entire truth..." Vincent looked back to the cavern saddly.

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked as he kneeled down to drink some water out of the lake.

Vincent sighed again. "Sephiroth was not Hojo's son....he was mine--"

"WHAT?!" Both Cid and Cloud stared at Vincent with open mouths. Cloud managed to stand up, though Cid recovered first, "Ya got to be kidding!"

Cloud started glaring at the ex-Turk, pulling his sword out slowly. "So...you have betrayed us after all..."

"No Cloud. It is not like that--" Vincent tried to defend himself against Cloud's accusation, though he felt it would accomplish nothing.

"Bastard!" Cloud growled, holding out his sword. "You deserve to die! If it wasn't for you, Aeris and my mom would still be alive! So would Zack!" Tears filled his Mako-enhanced blue eyes. "It's your fault so many people are dead!"

He ran at Vincent, who made no move to defend himself, and sliced down with his sword, planning to tear Vincent in half. But something blocked the hit, causing Cloud to fall back. "Quit it Cloud!" Cid was crouched in front of Vincent, his spear held in a blocking position. "It's NOT his fault!"

"Yes it is!" Cloud's angry tears fell from his eyes, which were glaring at Vincent with an unbelievable hatred. "Now stop protecting him, or I'll kill you too! Traitor!"

Cid spat out his cigarrette, swinging his spear around until it came to rest in an offensive position. "Traitor?! We both stood by you at the battle Cloud! It wasn't your hit that killed Sephiroth, it was Vincent's! Do you think he would have killed his son if he wasn't with us?!"

Cloud kept glaring. "Liar...It was my Omnislash that did it..."

"No it wasn't," Cid growled back. "We let you think that because we didn't know if you'd go wonky again. But ask Barret, or Tifa, or anyone! They'll tell you the truth now."

"Why should I believe you?! You're also a part of Shinra!"

"Not anymore! Not since they fucked up my flight!" Cid forced himself not to be provoked and plunge his spear into Cloud's chest. "Now just shut the hell up!"

"Never!" Cloud ran at him, planning to decapitate Cid, then Vincent. He dropped like a stone before he got close enough though, as a shot rang out and blood spurted from his knee. "I knew it!"

Vincent walked past Cid slowly, gently pushing him aside. "No Cloud, I am no traitor." He said softly as he stood in front of the youth. "Would I not have shot your heart? Or wouldn't I do it now?" He kneeled next him, watching Cloud try to get his sword that had flown out of his hand. "If I truly was a traitor, I would kill Cid with your own sword, then shoot you dead. I could go to Tifa and tell her that you went insane again, and killed Cid before I could stop you. She'd believe me. But I would not do such a thing."

Cid walked next to him, placing a hand on Vincent's shoulder. "See Cloud? Vince wouldn't hurt ya like that." He removed a Cure materia from his spear and tossed it a couple meters away. "Now ya can heal yourself. But we'll be long gone before ya do."

Vincent looked up at Cid, amazed the pilot not only defended him without a moment's pause, but also help him escape from Cloud's madness. "Goodbye Cloud." He stood up, and followed Cid to their chocobo. Cloud's warked from where it was, but did not go anywhere.

Mounting on first and pulling Vincent up behind him, Cid urged the bird into a trot, waving behind him without looking. As far as he was concerned, Cloud was gone from their lives, as they would be to all of AVALANCHE's. If Cloud would turn on Vincent just because he was Sephiroth's father, it was possible the others would too.

"Cid, thank you." Vincent whispered to the pilot as they cleared the cliff and headed west, towards the uninhabited part of the Wutai continent.

"For what?"

"For saving my life, and believing me."

"No prob Vince. I know you were always behind us, I was confident you'd watch my back when I'd ask ya too. I couldn't let Cloud hurt ya." He let go of the reins with one hand, reaching behind himself and gently squeezing Vincent's thigh.

Understanding the meaning behind the motion, Vincent leaned forward, kissing Cid's neck softly. "Thank you...for caring for me..."

"Sure...If you didn't like me back, I'd have still done it."

"A good thing I DO like you..."