Drabble #43: Dream

Summary: Dreams are what we want but can never have.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot. Characters and places belong to SquareEnix

He inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers around him as he lay surrounded by them, waiting for his angel to turn up. He often ended up here in his dreams because the Planet was giving Aeris' a special power to connect with him. He had needed her guidance and kindness and she had been right there, like always.

The rustling of the petals alerted him to her presence and he immediately sat up straight, turning his head towards her. He was thankful that now, he could look upon her beautiful face at last. The last two years had been hell for him when he feared he would have to wait until death to see her flawless features once more.

She kneeled down in front of him and he frowned when she stared at the flowers beside her and not at him. Ususally she would be giving him the smile she had reserved for him. One that reached all the way to her cheeks, making her eyes sparkle and wrinkle slightly at the sides. It was her genuine smile. But not tonight.

"Aeris?" he whispered, taking her hand. She took a shuddering breath, an indication that she was either crying already or trying hard not to. Cloud's frown deepened as he tilted his head. "Aeris, what's wrong?"

"Cloud, it's over," she said, looking up at him with tears pouring down her cheeks. At seeing his confused look, she took another breath and explained. "You can't come here anymore."

"What?" he cried, thinking he had misheard. When she lowered her eyes, he knew what she had said was real. Desperately, he gripped her hand tighter and forced her chin up so that she was looking at him.

"Aeris, I live for these dreams, I live so I can see you."

"That's not life Cloud," she argued softly. "That's not living at all. You need to let me go. I would give anything to stay with you forever Cloud, you know I would but I can't. I'm sorry."

"But, these dreams have made me feel something Aeris, they..."

"They are exactly what they are Cloud.," she sighed. "They're dreams, and dreams are what we want most of all but sometimes, we have to let them go. Sometimes, they just can't be."

"Don't go!" he begged as she stood up. He clutched at the bottom of her dress and stared up into her eyes. "Please don't go!"

"I'm sorry," she repeated shakily, her tears pouring freely down her face. "Cloud, the Planet is calling. I..."

"NO!" he cried, hugging her waist tighter. He didn't care if he was acting like a child. He couldn't lose her all over again. But no matter how tightly he held on to her, the Planet was always going to win. Cloud opened his eyes to see the flowers beginning to fade, one by one. "No," he whispered. "Aeris!" he called hopelessly as he awoke with a start.

It took a moment to registar that the dream was over and he could never go back but the moment it did, he felt his body shake with tears. His hands grasped his cheeks as he finally broke down. He dreamed of Aeris to get away from the nightmare of living. He needed her.

"Dreams are what we want most of all but sometimes, we have to let them go. Sometimes, they just can't be."

And he choked back another sob as he realised...

She was right.