This is my first ever Final Fantasy fanfiction! :D I am a die hard Zerith fan, I just think that their story and love are so sweet! So I wrote this for them, and it was inspired by the song "Thinking of You" by Katy Perry.

Warning(?): This is AU-ish (if that's even a word?), I did try to do the math at the beginning but I did have to tweak a few things to fit my storyline.

I hope you enjoy and please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy...no matter how much I wish I did.

It had been six years. Five years since you disappeared, your last words to me were a promise of a visit. Five years since I began the long wait. One year since I had stopped waiting. Seven months since I had locked you away. One month after the pain began to ebb.

All of those painful years, months, days, and countless minutes of recovery and mending- all for nothing. Because a young man came crashing through my roof and, in just a few seconds, every single wound was reopened. All of the locks came bursting open and I felt so lost. So confused. So utterly destroyed. But, I had to help him. It was just who I was.

So I put on a brave, yet gentle, mask and began to tend to the poor boy. When he awoke he spoke one word and I didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or cry hysterically. Either way I was feeling very hysteric.

"Heaven?" he asked.

"Church in the slums." I heard myself answer, my voice surprisingly even.

"Oh, where- where am I exactly?" he asked.

I thanked whatever gods there were fervently that he didn't follow our meeting any closer. It would have been too much to bear

"Your in the Sector Eight slums of Midgar." I said checking his head for bumps.

"Sector Eight…Can you get me to Sector Seven?" he asked.

His eyes were blue, mako infused, like yours but…so very different from yours at the same time. They were filled with such pain and loss, that they could never be yours. Your eyes were always laughing and dancing with some wonderful secret that was always just out of my reach.

I lead him through my home, past the places I had shown you that first time. When we reached the park I decided he needed to rest, his fall had taken a toll on his body. We sat together and talked while we rested, or rather I talked while he rested. Something in me seemed to burst while I talked to him and I found myself talking of you. Of my first love. My only love. My Zack.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"I was never a SOLDIER…I was to weak to be. Zack…he died for me…so I could live. He died for a liar, a coward!" Cloud spat, angry and broken.

With those few words I felt like my world shattered…you…you were really gone. You hadn't run off with someone else or forgotten about me. You were gone. Taken away from me forever. I would never see your smile again, never hear you try to impress me again, never see your beautiful eyes again.

At the thought of your eyes my own drifted to Cloud's. I looked away quickly, I was…looking for you in there. Whenever I looked at Cloud, I would wonder what you would have done, what you would have said. If you would have smiled. I never saw him…I saw… you.

I was disgusted with myself.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

When the sword pierced me, it didn't hurt. As it slid through me, I didn't feel it. All I could see was Cloud's horrified expression, eyes wide and unbelieving. The others wore similar expressions, even Vincent. If the situation wasn't so grave, I might have laughed.

It was when Sephiroth pulled the blade out that it hurt. I barely noticed when Cloud caught me. I was already fading…a warm blanket-like feeling wrapped around me and the pain was swept away. I let myself succumb to the feelings and sensations.

I opened my eyes when a feeling, much like the sun warming my face, piqued my curiosity. When I opened them red and gold light was shining down on me, everything that surrounded me was forgotten. A small pale hand reached out for me, and I was greeted by my mother's softly smiling face.

"Mom…" I whispered, awed and surprised.

She nodded once.

I took her soft hand and she began to pull me up. I turned when an anguished cry broke through the light and warmth.

"Shut up!" I heard Cloud cry angrily.

He was glaring at Sephiroth, my crumpled body lying still and cold in his arms.

"Aerith…she'll never laugh, smile, cry, or get angry again…" it was so painful to witness him in such a state, but I knew that I had to go. I had known since the beginning.

It didn't surprise me very much when I realized that somewhere along the way, I began to love Cloud, but I knew you would have wanted me to move on. I turned away from him, saying one last silent farewell to the boy that was your legacy and I let my mother take me- where we were going, I had no idea.

When we arrived at our destination, I found myself in the middle of a meadow, millions of flowers scattered across it's expanse. Gentle hills surrounded the area and soft, downy feathers coasted on the light breeze. The heavens above were a cloudless bright blue, shining upon us proudly. I gazed in wonder, drinking in all the color and sweet smells. Mother watched as I turned, mouth open in awe, I had never seen anything like it.

I had almost come full circle, when I spotted a disturbance in the color.

I glanced at my mother curiously before moving to investigate. As I neared, my heart began to race as it hadn't in years. The idea of breathing left me, a painful lump formed in my throat, and I felt the tears burn my eyes.

There was a man lazing in the flowers, one leg crossed over his bent knee and his hands folded behind his head. His raven hair almost matched the color of his clothing, a sweater like shirt with no sleeves and dark pants and boots. He seemed so relaxed that it startled me when he suddenly sat up. I jumped but tried to recompose myself as he stretched languidly.

He turned to face me and my green eyes immediately locked with his bright blue orbs. The color of the sky, my sky. He grinned, it was mischievous and flirtatious, and waited for me to speak.

"Zack?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

His grin widened, if that was possible, and he stepped toward me.

"Aerith."

It wasn't a question, or even a statement. It was a consummation, as if he had just spoken to me and known I was on my way.

I couldn't help myself, I slammed into him and locked my arms around his broad shoulders. My head was buried in his chest and I knew he could feel the tears soaking through his shirt. He gently returned my embrace and he kissed the crown of my head.

"I missed you." I whispered.

"I missed you, too." he answered, his embrace tightening as if I would disappear.

"I-"

"I love you." he said before I could finish my statement.

My head whipped back and I searched those blue, blue eyes. It was there, shining clearly from their depths, what I had always longed to see in his eyes- not Cloud's or any other man's- Zack Fair's eyes. Love. Irrevocable, irrational, blissful love.

"As I love you." I answered, my voice clear and strong.

After seven short, wonderful, long, painful, heartbreaking, and almost unbelievable years- full of friends I would never forget- I was finally where I truly wanted to be. Looking into those wonderful, gentle, loving eyes. His eyes. And in his eyes- I would be content to stay.

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~Fin~

I hope you enjoyed and please review!