He couldn't remember the city like this, although he had only been once before. In his memory, Midgar was a magnificent work of power, a beautiful cultural hub and the centre of every young man's dreams. A place where those dreams became reality; City of a thousand opportunities. Looking down upon it now, perched high above on the earthy ridge, the place looked nothing like the haven his memory had constructed. It was foul-smelling, belching out great monoliths of smoke into the sky, seething with infection, and stewing in its own mess. It looked for all the world, like an immense slug, slowly burning out under the mid-summer sun. No, this wasn't the Midgar he'd seen before. This was a Midgar viewed in the wisdom of age. No-longer a boy, he could see the layers of bloated corruption that smugly sat only just beneath the glossy, poison smeared surface.

Sighing, the man turned away from the site and sat back down on his haunches, one hand across is eyes and staring out into the setting sun. He was tall, or at least tall enough, with well set shoulder and a well built stature that thinned towards his hips. His eyes were bright and alive with something not entirely human, his hair was black, a messy expanse of tangles brushed back from his face. He was young, although he had a great wealth of age in his eyes.
This wasn't right, he thought. He didn't want to meet her by this hideous mess. They should meet somewhere quieter, cleaner. Gongaga, his home? It wasn't a choice anymore, they'd meet here. Seeing her would be special enough. It'd been too long now, far too long. What if maybe she'd changed? Or worse, what if she hadn't changed enough? There was no point in fussing any longer, they'd meet. It would be blissful, although perhaps their last encounter.

She was there. She didn't seem to appear, as if by magic from thin air, but that the man seemed to just notice her there. He smiled at her. She smiled back, and nothing had changed between them. She slipped down beside him, and her hand found his.

"Zack," she whispered his name "Zack, Wake Up." Zack's eyes slid open and met Aeris'. He smiled up at her, and brushed his lips against hers. She just frowned down at him.
"What…" he began, but his question lay limp, unformed in the air. He understood.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice came, a cracked, tear chocked whisper. Even now it drifted music like across Zack, bathing him in her perfect tones. He loved her completely and in everyway.

"Well," his voiced cutting gruff contrast with hers as he blinked away sleep "would you be happier knowing? Knowing…this wasn't real?"

She said nothing. There was nothing to say. They held each other, far above the beast Midgar, and time dripped away from them.

Zack shifted in his sleep and in his dreams he held Aeris close. The hard metallic table he was strapped to creaked as he pushed against his restraints. Bright lights shone down into his vision, obscure shadows moved back and forth just at the corner of his eyes. He wanted to sleep, he wanted to dream. Only now, there wasn't time enough, only now did he know that his time with his girl was complete. He groaned, and blinked back tears, as they began the test again.