A cry escaped his mouth, as the blonde swiftly shifted to pick up the lifeless form in front of him. Tears, tasting like salt, spilled from his melancholy eyes. He hugged her closer, hoping that the heat that left his body would somehow leak into hers, and bring her faded body temperature back to it's normal state. He peered into her emerald green hues; even the warm light they shined with from before, was now fading into a grayish murky color.

"Aerith, Aerith, please don't die… don't die Aerith! I'll go get help!" the blonde screamed.

Not at her, though, he hoped his failed cries to her would be heard. He couldn't face the fact that she would never speak kind words to him again. There was no point in getting help. The limpness in his arms hinted at that. She was already far gone. He clung desperately to the brunette, digging his face into her brown locks, trying to remember the smell of strawberries and the scent of flowers.

He could hear the distant cries of his comrades, calling out to him- to her, words of sorrow, sadness, and reassurance. Ignoring their loving words, Cloud got up, bringing with him the love of his life, and covered in blood. Her blood. His tears were now gone, but they didn't leave without leaving their mark. A tear stricken face and a sour taste in his mouth, Cloud made his way to the lake at the bottom of the white staircase. Each step was more painful than the last, for soon, he would be at the bottom, standing knee-high in the liquid that brought someone into the world, and took them out. He could hear his friends following far behind, giving him room to breath. But it didn't matter, because he wasn't very aware of his surroundings. His eyes only fixed on one thing. He tried to memorize that angel face; eyelids with long eyelashes blocked the view of those pools of lushes, green orbs. He traced her lips, jaw line, anything and everything that was Aerith Gainsborough.

His leather clothes clung to him, indicating that it was time to say goodbye. A sadden smile spread across his face as he tried to hold back the second round of tears that threaten to spill over. He bent down, and placed a soft kiss upon her forehead, stalling as much as he could to keep the fallen flower girl longer in his arms. Having nothing else to do, the young blonde hugged the girl closer to his chest, before dropping his arms, and watching her lifeless body drift slowly to the bottom of the life stream. He looked down in hope, praying that maybe- just maybe, it was all a sick dream, and soon, he will wake, to have his love in his arms again. But, as the blonde watched her sink further and further down, he knew he wasn't waking up anytime soon. For one cannot wake, when there is nothing to wake from. This was worse than a dream, because, as Aerith's soul began to leave her body, she took her final look at the man she was leaving behind. She spoke words that would be unheard.

"Please.. Please Cloud.. It's time you let me go."

If this was a dream, those last and final thoughts, would be heard. She wouldn't be dead. But as her soul lifted higher and higher to a place that shed sunlight, pure white wings sprouted from her back, inching further and further, the higher she got. Until- bright light consumed her well being…

Fin.