Author note: So I got this idea from Maiden Who Wanders the Planet. I wanted to know what it would be like when Aerith and Zack first met in the lifestream, but I honestly couldn't stand Maiden, maybe because of the diehard Zerith fan in me. This is my own take on what would happen between them, and I hope that you enjoy it. Please go easy on the R&R (first fanfic ever! And if you don't like it then please just don't say anything thank you very much.)
I own the story, but not the characters, they all belong to Square Enix.
Aerith and Zack in the Lifestream
Aerith sat up quickly, opening her eyes and scanning the white abyss that surrounded her. She knew instantly that she was in the lifestream, but was this really all that it was? Nothingness? There wasn't anything before her, anyways. And there was no sign of anyone, either.
She stood, not knowing what to do next. The last thing she could remember was summoning Holy and seeing her friends. Her heart began to race at the thought of them. Were they alright? Would Holy do its job?
But her train of thought stopped the second she saw an all-black figure moving towards her. As they drew nearer, she could just make out the blurry figure of a man. And then, Aerith's stomach knotted and her eyes grew wide.
She was immediately back to where she was all that while ago. Before her stood her former love: the man she had cried over for nights on end; the man she had written eighty-nine letters to; the man that she had wished to spend every living moment with—still clad in his First-Class SOLDIER uniform…Zack Fair.
Aerith had told herself on numerous occasions that she wasn't still in love with him, that "things were different now". She even tried to tell herself that he'd found someone else. But she often caught herself crying herself to sleep because of him. And never did she even think about taking off her pink dress, in hopes that he would one day return to her.
Squandering no time, Aerith ran to his open arms. She hugged him tighter than ever before, and soon began to sob. She was overcome with joy; joy because she could feel him and smell him and be with him again. All of those years that they had been apart suddenly didn't mean anything anymore.
"Hey, watch it. Dry cleaning isn't cheap up here," he laughed.
And the voice—his voice—that she had longed to hear. Speaking and chuckling again.
Zack's arms fell to his sides and he pulled her back so they could see each other. "Surprised to see me?"
Aerith shook her head, noticing that her tears had dried already. "The lifestream…it sort of speaks to me. I knew all of this time. I just—I couldn't come to terms with it, really."
He smiled. "That's right. It must've slipped my mind." Zack tapped the side of his head.
"But when I wrote to you," she began sadly, "you never wrote back. You weren't, um, dead yet."
"I only got the last of them. I was taken by Hojo—got Cloud, too. That's the only reason I never responded. I swear, Aerith. I was on my way back to you when this happened to me."
Nodding, she jumped back into his arms hoping to stay there for a long time. "Did you know that I died?"
"That are other ancients up here. They let some of us go down to the planet to check in on things sometimes. I knew. I almost killed someone when I saw what Sephiroth did to you—except, well…they're all kind of dead here, anyways. And there's nothing to break." She could tell that he was grinning. "Nothing to eat, either."
"Where is everyone, then" Aerith asked.
"Lots of places. The lifestream is vast. And this just happens to be the 'arrival' place. Most people don't linger here for too long. Which reminds me, you have some people to meet." Zack took her hand and they began to walk together.
There was a whole lot of white around them, not much else. But suddenly, they passed by a few people. They gave the quickly moving Aerith and Zack strange glances, but mainly disregarded them. Zack didn't stop, though. He continued on, pulling Aerith with him.
"Your dress," he said over his shoulder. "Pink. I like it."
Aerith beamed. She had been waiting for years to hear him say that. "Where are you taking me, Zack?"
"There's someone up here who's been dying to meet you." He laughed. "Oops."
In a few minutes—or it could have been hours, Aerith seemed to have lost track of time—Zack presented her to another man in First-Class attire. His long black hair fell almost to his shoulders, and he towered over Aerith.
"Angeal! This is her," Zack nearly yelled. "This is Aerith. Your copy protected her back in Midgar!"
The man smiled. "Oh so this is her, huh? Zack hardly ever shuts up about you, you know. If it's not about you, it's about Cloud."
She stole a look at Zack, who appeared to be blushing slightly. He still hadn't let go of her hand, not that Aerith minded or anything.
Angeal pursed his lips. "I think I'll leave you two alone now. Looks like you still have some catching up to do." He turned and began to walk away from them, Zack watched until he had disappeared from sight.
"How is Cloud, anyways?" Zack asked. "I checked in on him sometimes, but I was mostly watching—how is he?"
"Sad," Aerith was quick to respond.
Zack didn't say anything for a while; he looked somewhat troubled. "Do you—" He stopped and shook his head. "Nah."
"What?" She laughed. "What? Zack!"
He didn't smile, which made Aerith worry a little. Was something wrong? Zack had been staring upwards, to even more white. He dropped his gaze back down to her frightened face. "Are you...Do you—love him?"
She had known that this question would come up some time or another, but she didn't really know how to answer. "Yes."
Before Aerith could say any more, Zack nodded and hung his head so he was staring at his boots. "Ah. I see."
"Well, it's difficult. He reminded me so much of you at first, of course I was attracted to him. But how could I fall in love with a false persona? I didn't really know who he was. That wasn't the real Cloud…and when I did meet him, well, I began to love him in another way. He's like my brother, Zack. He's one of my greatest friends—I love him so much."
"Yeah?" He raised his head bashfully. "Then how do you love me? What am I to you?"
Aerith thought for a second. "I love you like a—" But she still couldn't formulate a response. "I just love you."
Zack pulled her into another one of his sturdy embraces, picking her up off of her feet as he did. When he put her down, Aerith shoved him gently. "Oh, you."
He brightened. "I guess your wish'll come true now, huh? You can spend all the time you want with me."
Aerith stood on her toes and kissed him, wishing that she had done it long before that. When she pulled away, she giggled. "You didn't forget."
"I told you I wouldn't if you wrote them down! And you did. So, no. I didn't forget." He cocked his head. "You're still wearing that old ribbon I got you?"
"Well I told you that I'd wear it forever, Zack." Aerith said.
His face became sullen once more, but he didn't break his gaze with Aerith. "I'm so sorry that I never came back to you. I should have never left. My only wish was to be with you—and to keep Cloud safe."
She smiled softly. "Don't be sad! We're together now, that's what matters. Cloud and our friends are safe, too."
"For now. They've still got to stop Sephiroth. That crazy jerk. I can't believe I used to look up to him!" Zack quickly became very enraged, but managed to contain himself. "What does it matter? We can only watch now. I felt so useless when he killed you….I just hope that Cloud beats the hell out of him for what he did. You know—show him what Buster's really capable of."
Aerith's smile faded and she became serious. Zack was right: their friend's battle had just begun. She could see, if she concentrated hard enough, Cloud and the others in the Forgotten City. Her brow furrowed and a feeling of sadness washed over her as she lost the image.
Zack took her hand in his again. "Everything is going to be okay."