Okay, here are my long and winded thoughts about this story. I hadn't expected it to be this long. But after I finished the main story, I realized I was still leaving so much more out, so I wrote more. And it grew. ^^;;
This is the ONLY fic I've ever written that was written in one time; that is, I didn't abandon it for any other project. Nothing has caught my attention for this long. But I felt Vincent as a character, deserved it. He was given so little 'history' in FFVII, and yet such a complex character. I thought that it was profoundly interesting that a cool-headed character such as Vincent lose that cool over a woman, and a scientist for that matter (btw, I really do admire his taste in women; he's the first guy that likes a woman that isn't inane·in my opinion).
Anyway, why I did what I did in the fic? I never thought that Lucrezia ever loved Vincent, ever. I think she really did love Hojo; she may not have understood it, but I thought she loved Hojo, not Vincent. Love is weird, I guess you can say, and I've decided it to make it the same way with her. However, I thought Hojo never loved Lucrezia; with him, I think he knew she loved him, and accordingly used her. That's who Hojo was, in my mind; people come second to his first love; science. I have another fic in the making about Hojo, but this time from Sephiroth's point of view. ^^;; If you haven't noticed, I'm sort of fascinated w/ Hojo, too. I mean, he really is an interesting character; it's he that really starts the events to what it is in FFVII: the use of mako for SOLDIER, the birth of Sephiroth, and what he does throughout the story w/ Cloud. Hmm·.maybe people are beginning to think I'm going off the deep end. ^^;;
As I hear the Vincent fans screaming "Why not like Vincent? He's ten times more handsome, more interesting, etc·" Really, Vincent and Lucrezia have very little in common. I thought that Lucrezia in the end gave up to common sense as well as love; being w/ Vincent would have never worked. That's my opinion, at least.
Hm·maybe I should clarify something in the story. I could have made it clear in the story, but I don't feel like it. Who is that girl he met in Midgar? I don't know. Don't look at me. ^^;;; It was a random girl that he met, an incident that he would have promptly forgotten if she hadn't died. But the fact she died sticks in his mind, that's all; it's a random incident that has become a part of his consciouness, an idea that grew. I think Vincent thinks far more often then he acts. ^^;; Vincent can't remember Midgar very well; it was his time of survival, and you live in the present, not the past, when you try to survive. The past is not important. But now that era of life is past, the only incidents he can remember are the memorable incidents. And I made one up. He remembered this incident, and realized that he ran. That's the important thing. That he ran. And this idea is just what sticks to his heads, and grows; I think he realizes somewhere that if he runs from Lucrezia, he loses everything. The girl in Midgar is nothing more then a representation of an idea, a fear of his.
Yes, I have been rewatching Evangelion, by the way. I've seen the movie as well. As an incidental opinion, I thought the movie really sucked; the last 2 episodes in the TV series was far better in its psychological wanderings. Which is why, incidentally, I named one of the chapters with one of the episode's titles; I think it's episode 24 w/ Kaworu: Knocking on Heaven's Door. But anyway, I'm missing the point.
Now, why is Vincent so obsessive about Lucrezia? Well, first of all, Vincent would have to be pretty damn deep in love over Lucrezia to have over-reacted with Hojo and Lucrezia. Secondly, Hojo would not waste his time changing Vincent, even if it was for amusement, unless Vincent made a big nuisance of himself·which he did, I thought, by standing between Lucrezia and Hojo. Thirdly, Vincent is not the type to fall in love lightly; it's either he doesn't, or he goes all the way. Fourth, I believe Vincent's never really met a woman like Lucrezia. And fifth, I think it's in his character to become obsessive. That's all. ^^;; (hm·I don't know why I'm trying to justify this to you people). Which is why I named the story 'Dreams and Liquor;' the 'liquor' of this story is Lucrezia herself; he gets drunk on her. The 'dreams' are rather obvious in this story·.at least I think so·.
Why did Lucrezia sleep with both Hojo and Vincent? Damn it, why not? She has to make her own decision, and she certainly couldn't know unless she knew them both. So what if she does? >P You can't blame her for it. Though I do hear Vincent fans, as well as other fans gagging at the idea of anyone sleeping with Hojo·.^^;;
Why didn't I write about exactly what Hojo did to Vincent? Hell, you saw that in the game. What more can I add? Hojo performed his sick experiments, that's all, and created what Vincent is today. I don't need to write any details about that. What's Hojo's motives? He dislikes Vincent as much as Vincent dislikes him. Also, there's the added fact that Vincent is now in the way between him and Lucrezia; would you expect Vincent to not do anything while Hojo performs experiments on Lucrezia's unborn child? And third, heck, Hojo is a scientist. Experiments are his thing. Vincent was handy and useful. ^^;;;
My final note before I sign off this thing; I listened to a LOT of different music for this (i.e. Alphaville-Forever Young, Big in Japan; Two-Mix-Thousand Nights!!; Ultima Online midis-Linelle, Jhelom, Skara Brae; Turbo-Love is; Savage Garden-Tears of Pearls), but this entire fic was based on 9 lines off a song by trf (an old Japanese music group who I really liked; globe is better, though) from the song 'Destiny to Love' (recognize title? Yes, it's a chapter title):

I don't know what to do
now and then (destiny tonight)
I don't know how to do it
two of us·(destiny tonight)
Just a little happiness
for a little while (the night will change)
Won't win back moments
And it won't return your (won't return your) smile·
Destiny tonight·

Another cheesy love song, you think. Well, it struck me interesting that the love song only centered on the present (destiny tonight), but was shaded from the past. Reading too far in? Yes, I am. But that's what I read off it, and that's how I decided to do this fic. Love is tonight, for Vincent; not yesterday, not tomorrow, but tonight. While what happens tonight is based on what is from the past, and what is in the future, it's the only night that exists for Vincent.
^_^ Sharon Sung
If you have any comments on this fic, more musings about Vincent, differing opinions (and good reasons WHY), you can email me and we can have a long talk. Really, I'm not very caustic when I talk to other people. Honest. I always like picking up new penpals. Heck, you don't even have to email me about the game--we can talk about music, anime, etc. BTW, though, if you're from AOL, though, I will say I might have trouble responding. Out of the last 40 mails I sent to AOL, 40 got returned. So I don't try anymore.