Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, as it has been created by the oh- so-talented people of Squaresoft, or now known as SquareEnix.

Songfic: The Change, Garth brooks

Author's note: I'm not a huge fan of Garth Brook's, not at all really, but the lyrics to this song are quite pretty and seem to fit my writing perfectly. Country music or not, it's a decent piece of work.

An Angel's Will

Songfic by Crimson release

Aeris' POV when p

raying for Holy

The soft pitter-patter of hurried footsteps echo throughout the lost city that lies beneath the ruins of my city; the only home that I never knew. With the dancing colored light created by the shards of the prism structure's all around me, I have knelt down and folded my hands. My head tilts downwards and the familiar tickle of unruly strands of hair fall about my face in a perfect, angelic frame.

I can hear voices; I hear his voice, clear with pain and worry louder then the others. They're all looking for me. But I know they cannot save me. I'm doing this for the world, for that sweet little girl who is in hiding with my dear mother. I'm doing it for Cloud.

One hand reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
And they say,
"What good have you done by saving just this one"
"It's like whispering a prayer
In the fury of a storm"

My eyes are shut, and I pray. Soon their voices fade from my perception and again it's only me, my ancestors and the planet. Cloud is climbing towards the platform, having told the others to stay put; I may be able to drown out everything else, but not him. He doesn't understand; he just can't. I know he can feel the dark shadow of foreboding, how could he not with the dream that the planet brought him just a few short hours ago?

He doesn't understand why I have to do this, but soon, very soon he will.

And I hear them saying,
"You'll never change things.
And no matter what you do
Its still the same thing"
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so, this world will know
That it will not change me

I've been looked down on since I can remember, always treated like some fragile creature. My whole life has been under a microscope, but no longer. The other children thought me weird, and I was ashamed of my ability to speak with the planet and the souls of the life stream; but no longer. You see, this is my destiny; I was meant to bring this world into the shining light that is hope.

It is just the planet and I.

This heart still believes
That love and mercy still exist
While all the hatreds rage
And so many say
"That love is all but pointless,
in madness such as this."
"It's like trying to stop a fire
with the moisture of a kiss."

I worry not when a dark energy flows into Cloud, nor do I tremble when I hear his sword unhinged from the magnetic sheathe that holds it to his back. I love him like I love life, which I cherish so dearly. This is why I'm doing this. This is why I don't look up and concentrate on the task at hand. The planet must hear my call, or we will all be lost. I hear them all gasp, and scream Cloud's name, and their panic and fear sends a rush of adrenaline through my veins and I know my prayer has been heard for the precious white materia that is bound securely in my hair ribbon feels light and warm.

And I hear them saying,
"You'll never change things.
And no matter what you do
Its still the same thing"
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so, this world will know
That it will not change me

A small smile graces my lips and I raise my head and let my lashes lift, to let my gaze lock with his. Mako swirls mistily in the depths of each tainted iris that meet with mine, glowing instead with the knowledge of the life stream. I want to say something- to tell him that I love him, and that everything will be alright. But I can't, I must not break this precious moment that we are sharing. And though it only lasts for mere moments, I feel every bit of completion that my existence has sought flow into me and I know I am ready. And so is he.

As long as one heart still holds on
Then hope is never really gone

The sound of leather tangling with gravity draws our eyes away from each others, and we both glance up to see the silver haired demon drop down from the crystalline stair case. I lower my gaze and catch Cloud's one last time, and I see such love and pain as I have never seen before. This is how it must be, in order to save him.

And I hear them saying,
"You'll never change things.
And no matter what you do
Its still the same thing"
But it's not the world that I am changing
I do this so, this world we know
That it will not change me

I slight gasp escapes my lips as I feel cool metal run through me, passing my spinal cord and vital organs. My fingers unlace and fall to my sides, and for a moment I stare down at the shimmering metal that has seemed to have grown between my quivering breasts. I can feel my heartbeat, pounding in my ears and I fall forward, my eyes falling shut. The slightest touch of the sword slices the faded hair ribbon in half, allowing a cascade of soft brown hair to untangle and fall about me as well as my most precious possession slip from its confines.

The blade is being pulled from me, and my back arches along with it. I shudder when I feel a rush of cool air greet the wound on either side of my body, not all that painful, just cold.

What I do is so, this world will know
That it will not change me

And as I fall forward into Cloud's strong and warm embrace, I hear the soft sound of rippling water as the holy material sinks below it's misted surface, and I see it before my closed eyes, reaching the bottom glowing a pale green. This was all I ever wanted. I'm smiling as I feel a tremor of warmth explode within me before I slip into the shadows. This was how it was meant to be; for now you're safe my love; if only you could understand.