Title: So, What's Next?

Warnings: Morbid topics, but not much else.

Rating: T

Characters: Zack, Aerith, and mentions of others

Where: Gaia/FF7-verse, a mix of the Lifestream and Aerith's church.

Time: Post Advent Children/Complete.

Note: First attempt at proper fanfiction in a long, long while, so it came out a bit short. This is just a bit of a warmup exercise anyway.

It was time to rest.

The world was a blur of white, of sounds and visions flashing over what used to be his eyes. The decaying rubble under his feet seemed to give way as she led him further out, further away from the hero who still stood there, in the realm of the living. Nudged there, by the two of them, after an explosion that would have ripped apart anyone else. But... no. He was special, in that sense. The hero who had slain a ravaging monster not once, but twice over the course of his still-short life. With the final remnants of JENOVA seeped away, there was not much else that would keep the Planet from its slow recovery, ending a battle passing over two millennia.

The death of that monster that had robbed his friend of his mind, of his sanity... perhaps that was still up for debate. But he would take the journey, keep into Mother Gaia, to see if he couldn't pull the former General out of the vast, expanding darkness he had fallen into, and give him peace at last. Cloud had done the difficult part... now, it was his turn.

His steps echoed in the stark nothingness, receding until they could no longer be heard by even the spirits that dwelled in this place. The pull, the strain to be in that world where he once was so many years ago, was fading. A calmness swept over his being, the former SOLDIER's eyes sliding shut with the voices lulling him back down. They varied - children playing in the streets, laughing as a small, rubber ball was kicked around, or an elderly man, standing upon the highest mountain, realizing his time was coming, yet welcoming it with open arms to start life anew. Different life experiences, different thoughts, memories swept over his supernatural senses, nearly distracting him from where they needed to be going.

It was over.

Her hand grasped his gently, somehow still hearing the light creak of leather as the pressure was applied. Surprised, he turned to face her bright, aquamarine eyes, embellished in a kindness that could only say 'Aerith'. He smiled himself, returning the touch without any further hesitation. The voices drifted off, and he could feel his own energy starting to disperse as well. Light wisps of emerald energy whisked into the air, the 'body' she'd created starting to come undone. But she was still there, still smiling at him, able to keep that form for as long as she wished. He was not a Cetra, couldn't even begin to think he could be, and... it had to end sometime.

He needed to return to Sleep, as was the law of this realm.

Her hand ran through his dark locks, smoothing them back against skin that no longer held any life. His smile mirrored hers, even as she spoke ever-so softly.

"Zack..."

The SOLDIER leaned into her touch, nodding once. "I know... I know." Still, it didn't mean either of them had to be sad about it... right? If she wanted to see him again, all she needed to do was call. Her voice was so light, so distinct from the others... it wouldn't be an issue trying to return here. "He'll be alright now, Aerith. Try not to worry... okay?" A leather-gloved hand came up to brush against hers, his lower torso now entirely faded away.

Aerith's smile was shaky at this point, trembling with the sudden onslaught of tears pouring down her perfectly-delicate face. "I shouldn't... but you have to promise me not to get in any more trouble." Her thin hand traced the outside of his ear, looking deep into his face. It was difficult to tell exactly what she was feeling, even when they were so connected... but he knew one thing. She was happy, and that's all he ever wanted from her.

So he nods again. "...I'll be careful. And when I'm back, Sephiroth can sleep here, too."

Just as he finished those words, his weight was nearly thrown back by the feel of her body being thrown against his in a tight hug. Just as well, too, since his chest was about the next to go. The light shone brighter, deeper over the two of them, even as he wrapped his own arms around her perfectly-solid frame. "I'll be back soon, Aerith. Wait for me."

There was an unexpected tightness in her chest as he spoke those words, recalling that one, final phone call she'd had with him. At first, he hadn't come back. Four years had passed, and he hadn't so much as written a letter to her. But eventually, they'd found each other again, hadn't they? In the worst way imaginable - him, gunned down by an armada; her, driven through the back, with a creature posing at the one he'd looked up to so much - but all the same.

Her arms started to give way, the form dispersing before her eyes in a blaze of light, soothing colours. Green - life, birth, joy - blue - serenity, peace, the colour of the sky - and silver - grace, emotions, pride. Even his eyes lost that familiar glow as he was just about gone, his arms melting away like bark in a fire. The warmth of his lips on her forehead was the final thing she registered, before she was alone, drifting within the waves of consciousness and life.

"...I will."

And yet, she still smiled.

"Everything's... alright now."