Love of My Life

Chapter 3

                We were nearing Cosmo Canyon when I realized she had fallen asleep. It had been a long day for the both of us. I was partially tempted to ask Cid for a ride until I realized that would give me less time with Ellie. I was approaching the steps when I heard a booming voice, "Who goes there?" I continued up the stairway, "I said who goes there?"

I would've ignored them but Ellie was starting to stir, "Where's Nanaki?" I asked.

I heard mumbling and a little head poked up from behind a log before going back down again. "What do you want with Nanaki?"

I sighed but before I could say anything I heard a woman calling for her child. "Uh—ehh—uuhh!" he squeaked, "I will return!" The booming voice told me.

At the top of the steps I was able to see the little boy scamper off into one of the tunnels nearby. It's dinner time, I reminded myself. I went through the tunnel systems to find Nanaki's home. When I came in he smiled and wagged his tail before sniffing the air. "Hello. Who is this?"

"Eliora," I moved to set her down on the couch nearby but she clung to me, so I sat down with her.

"Your child?" My eyes must have betrayed my surprise, "She smells like you." Of course. "How did she come to be?" He sat down and I could see the curiosity dancing in his eyes so I told him what I knew. "Interesting. I have heard of this happening from grandpa but never believed it to be true." He gave me a sad look, "You don't believe you can raise her, do you?"

There it was. The thought that I had been avoiding ever since I saw her in Lucrecia's cave. A long stretch of silence spread before us, "I'm stuck in a state between the living and the dead... How am I supposed to take care of my living child?"

"You were living once."

"... I can hardly keep her warm..." My throat squeezed.

"I see..." He came closer and nuzzled Ellie's side, "She seems fine. She even seems a bit colder like you. She's yours Vincent."

"Do you think she is trapped in this state like me?" I prayed not.

He shook his head, "Are you sure you're trapped?" I blinked, "You may not be able to die of old age or hunger but you still feel pain, you still bleed, you still heal."

I contemplated that for a moment, Chaos is keeping me alive, he doesn't have the needs of a human but he can still be killed... I was taken out of my thoughts when I felt Eliora stir. "Daddy..." she mumbled, "I'm hungry."

Nanaki smiled, "I have dinner prepared for guests. I had a feeling someone would drop by."

I introduced Eliora to Nanaki, and as I expected she pat his head and cuddled next to him like he was a dog, it was adorable. I'm glad Nanaki thought so too. She seemed so delighted to realize he could talk. Her face lit up when she asked if she could play with the other kids here. "That would be up to your father."

"Please, daddy, please!!" she begged.

I nodded, "We aren't staying long though. We leave tomorrow at noon," I didn't exactly think walking in the canyon in the heat of the day was a good idea but I wanted to give her a chance to play. "Did you have anyone to play with in the Lifestream?" I asked.

"Just mommy and grandpa mostly but aunt Carol was super nice!"

My eyes shot open, "C--Carolynne...?" I was hoping she was living somewhere in Kalm or something... My baby sister...

Eliora hugged me, "She said she loves you and misses you."

"Wh--what about--?"

Her brows knit for a moment in a gesture of thought, "Aunt Katharine and Lucinda are still alive."

"I didn't realize you had any siblings Vincent..."

"I had three sisters..." I lost myself to my memories, I remembered taking care of Katharine's children... I remembered my mother dying when I was 18... As the youngest Valentines Carolynne and I were the closest... I remembered her flashing a toothy grin when she acted silly... She was always so vibrant and happy... It hurt me so much to know that she was in the Lifestream... "How--how did she pass?" I found myself asking.

Ellie shook her head, "She never told me."

I could see the concern on her face so I held her close, "Thank you. I love you."

After dinner she went outside to play while I watched her along with Nanaki. "Seeing her makes me long for the day when I too will watch my pups play with the other children."

I stared at him a moment, "Aren't you--?"

Humor appeared on his face, "What? 'The last of my race'?" he chuckled, "The more Hojo didn't know the better... I suppose I've never told any of you, Deneh and I are the last of our species. She has undergone a ritual and won't be around for some time," he added at my questioning look.

I turned back to watch Eliora in time to see her trip, "Ellie!" I was at her side in an instant.

She got up with a grin on her face, "I'm okay, daddy!" she chirped before hugging me and running after a boy around her size. It was strange... Technically she was born yesterday. May 18th, I mused, the same birthday as her grandmother. I watched as they played tag, typical for preschoolers, that thought made me stop. Preschool. I'm going to have to take her to school... I smiled softly as I saw myself holding her hand as we walked back from preschool together. It was a mixed feeling; it was a pleasant and normal idea but at the same time I wasn't ready for her to be gone so long yet... Just one day and already she has become everything to me, my reason to live. I chest tightened when I remembered how I was going to have to leave her in Tifa's hands for, God... How long? What if Nanaki's right? What if I can die? I can't leave her here alone! My gut twisted. How do Cloud, Barret, and Reeve do this? The men have high-risk jobs. What if something happened to them? Denzel, Marlene, and May would have Tifa but Rena... Who is she closest to other than Reeve? Nanaki I think... I glanced at him for a moment following his gaze to Eliora and the boy.

I grew tense as I eyed him cautiously, they were standing face to face grinning at each other when he gave her a present. As soon as I heard him say, "You're really pretty!" I was done. I'm not sure what came over me but I started stomping over to them, Nanaki dashed in front of me before I made it too far though.

"They are just children," he reminded me.

"I want him away from her."

"Fatherly instincts kicking in, Vincent?" he joked.

"Something like that," I continued watching them carefully. I was immensely grateful when his mother called him inside. Eliora waved him goodbye before running over and jumping into my arms giggling. "Have fun?"

"Yep!" she giggled again, "Breein's really cute!" I froze in my tracks. Not even two full days into this and she already has a crush! Nanaki chuckled as he walked back to his den. "What's wrong, daddy?"

"You're too young to be thinking about boys."

"Why?"

"Because you're my baby girl." she giggled as she nuzzled my face with hers. At that moment I could see Lucrecia looking down on us and chuckling.

"You're a good daddy," her arms encircled my neck, giving me a quick hug as we went inside to rest for the night. It took less than a half an hour for her to fall asleep, snuggled up in my arms.