A/N: I know I haven't posted much on here lately, but sadly, real life has taken its toll on me. However, while reading a monologue from Hamlet last semester for my Intro to Acting class, the idea for this one-shot suddenly came to mind. (Yes, I did one of Ophelia's monologues—got a B on it too! -cheers-) I haven't seen a fic like this, so I decided to write one, giving a different twist to Aerith being in the Promised Land. Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII, nor do I own Hamlet.

The Fair Ophelia

Zack watched from afar, a small frown on his normally carefree face. Everyday, it was the same thing, and every time, it was getting more painful to watch.

Aerith would wander around the Promised Land, humming softly, an almost dazed expression on her face, carrying flowers in her arms, no longer in a wicker basket. She would hardly pay attention to anyone and would only interact with them if they talked to her directly. Ever so often, she could be found talking aloud to seemingly no one, but Zack knew exactly who she was talking to in her mind…

Cloud.

Cloud Strife. His best friend. A former mercenary-turned delivery man. A man with gravity-defying blond hair and electric blue eyes.

…The man that captured her heart…

Not that Zack was jealous by any means, really. Sure, he had to admit that she was a lovely girl, and he did have feelings for her. Key word being: did. But their relationship was never serious; he just saw her as a nice girl. He considered her a true friend, and it hurt to see her this way.

She didn't seem to care about anything anymore. Oh sure, she was still kind and loving, but she lacked the lively energy she used to have. The flower girl he once knew was now gone, and sadly, she was getting worse over time. Only when her spirit was near Cloud did she seem like her old self.

The raven-haired swordsman sighed sadly as continued to watch her. It was like watching a tragic love story unfolding on a stage, where there was nothing he could do to stop it. He knew that nothing would change until Cloud passed on in the living world and came to rest in the Lifestream.

Actually, Aerith did remind him of a character from a play he saw long ago…before he even became a member in SOLDIER. It was an ancient tragedy, and to be frank, most of it had bored Zack to tears, except one character…the fragile Ophelia. Though he could have cared less about the rest of the cast, Zack pitied and loved Ophelia; he wanted to protect her from her doomed fate. And just like he could do nothing for the character upon the stage, Zack could do nothing to help Aerith.

Poor Ophelia. Even after drowning, she was still dancing with the faeries in her mind, holding her flowers, the only thing still left with her in the afterlife from her world. The fair Ophelia, still as frail, beautiful, and delusional as ever, waiting for her Hamlet to come back to her.