Prison gates won't open up for me

On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'

Oh, I reach for you

Well I'm terrified of these four walls

These iron bars can't hold my soul in

All I need is you

Come please, I'm callin'

And, oh, I scream for you

Hurry, I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

Alika collapsed onto her hands and knees panting from the strain she put on her body fighting alongside AVALANCHE. Alika's curse prevented her from fighting another second. She could usually hold out longer. Now was an exception. Alika fell on her side, unable to hold herself up anymore.

"Goodbye." She whispered, closing her mako blue eyes.

Her life had flashed before her eyes too many times. This was the last, unless someone broke her curse, but that was doubtful. She heard muffled voices calling her name and she felt herself being moved.

'What's falling on my face?' She asked herself.

She tried to move her hand, but was unable. She was in the unconsious state that came before her death.

Show me what it's like

To be the last one standing

And teach me wrong from right

And I'll show you what I can be

Say it for me

Say it to me

And I'll leave this life behind me

Say it if it's worth saving me

Cloud held Alika gently, hoping beyond hope that she would come back to him. He had loved her and her him. His tears fell on her face.

'Open your eyes. Please.' He thought, 'Please.'

Someone touched his back. He looked up and found a teary eyed Tifa looking down at him. He looked around at everybody. They all had teary eyes. They had loved Alika too. She brought joy to all their lives. She could make even the most depressed person smile and laugh. She could drink and drink and never get drunk, only happier. That was what Cloud loved about her.

'Please.' He thought again as he stroked her black-brown hair.

Heaven's gates won't open up for me

With these broken wings I'm fallin'

And all I see is you

These city walls ain't got no love for me

I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story

And, oh, I scream for you

Come please, I'm callin'

And all I need from you

Hurry, I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

Reno let his tears slide down his cheeks. This was the girl he had grown up with. His best friend who had become a turk with him. Reno just stared, he couldn't help it, he couldn't believe that Alika had just died.

Yuffie buried her head in her hands and cried. They had collected materia together, fought together. They were best friends. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to. She shook her head, not wanting to face the facts.

Tifa's tears streamed down her face. She had never seen Cloud love anyone more than Alika. Tifa didn't want Alika to be gone, then Cloud would be back to his old depressing self. Maybe it was a little selfish, but she hated to see him like this. Alika was a big part of Tifa's life, too. She had helped around the bar and took the kids out when she couldn't. Alika brightened any room's atmosphere just by walking in.

Marlene and Denzel hugged each other while crying. Alika was like a mother to them. The didn't want to live without Alika, but knew Alika wouldn't want them to wallow in a depression. They knew she hated when people made a big deal about her. She would always put others before herself.

A lone tear slide down Cid's cheek. He was sad that a member of AVALANCHE had just died and he was sad for Cloud, he had never seen him cry. He didn't even see him cry when Aerith of Zack died, but knew he did. Another lone tear slide down Cid's cheek.

Barret was crying inside and had a devastated face on outside. Had Alika really just died? Yes. He answered his own question. He knew she had that curse, but didn't know it would kill her.

Red XII and Cait Sith stood next to Marlene and Denzel, crying with them. They had loved running around and playing with Alika, even if it wasn't in their nature to be playful and affectionate.

Show me what it's like

To be the last one standing

And teach me wrong from right

And I'll show you all I can be

Say it for me

Say it to me

And I'll leave this life behind me

Say it if it's worth saving me

Alika had spent most of her life a loner, never staying in one place to long, never making friends, only enemies. Cloud had saved Alika at one point in her life and all Alika did was push him away, but he never gave up trying to get through her barrier. He was persistant, Alika liked that about him. Cloud didn't know why he was so persistant when it came to Alika. AVALANCHE was the first real family she had. They made her feel like part of the group, like family. She didn't want them to worry about her so she never told anybody, except Barret, who found out about it on his own, about her curse. Everyone knew that Alika was happy to be part of AVALANCHE and part of their family. They also knew that Alika never wanted anyone to fuss over her.

Hurry, I'm fallin'

And all I need is you

Come please, I'm callin'

And, oh, I scream for you

Hurry, I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

'I should just give up. Nobody is ever going to break this stupid curse.' Alika thought in her unconsious state.

Alika felt her body growing colder and colder. Everything kept getting blacker and blacker with each passing moment. Pretty soon everything would stop and she would be dead. She would be reuntied with Zack and Aerith, her best friends when she was younger. Alika was falling into the darkness that is death.

'I knew nobody would break this stupid curse.' She thought, falling even farther into the darkness.

Show me what it's like

To be the last one standing

And teach me wrong from right

And I'll show you what I can be

And say it for me

Say it to me

And I'll leave this life behind me

Say it if it's worth saving me

Hurry, I'm fallin'

Cloud let his tears stream down his face. Tifa had left to take the kids home. Barret stood behind him.

"Cloud, her curse did this to her. It wasn't your fault." Barret said.

"What curse?" Cloud cried, "How come she didn't tell me?"

Barret sighed, "She didn't want anybody to worry over her." Barret paused, "Her curse says that if she strains herself too much and dies, she can only be revived by being told 'I love you' by her true love. And that's you Cloud."

Barret left along with everybody else to go back to Seventh Heaven and dry themselves of the rain they had been fighting in.

"Please Alika, I love you. I need you in my life." Cloud begged her, stroking her black-brown hair, "I love you."

Say it for me

Say it to me

And I'll leave this life behind me

Say it if it's worth saving me

Cloud cried harder when he thought it was too late.

"Cloud, stop crying." Alika spoke gently.

Cloud had broken her curse without even realizing it. Movement in his arms caused him to open his eyes and look at the very alive Alika.

"Y-your alive?" Cloud asked her, not believing she was actually alive.

Alika laughed, "Of course I am. You broke my curse!"

Alika saw the tears in his eyes and hugged him close to her, "I'll never leave you again, Cloud. I promise."

Cloud hugged her too, only pulling away enough to kiss her passionately.

"We should probably go back, before we get sick." Alika said, pulling away and getting up.

Cloud got up as well, "That's a good idea."

Alika wiped away most of Cloud's tears and they walked back to Seventh Heaven. They walked into the bar, Cloud giving Alika a piggy back ride because she wanted one.

"Alika!" Tifa dropped the cup she was drying.

Everyone turned around in their barstool's, gaping at Alika. Alika waved at everyone from Cloud's back. Cloud let her down and she ran to hug her friends, exstatic that they welcomed her back into their family.

"How are you still alive!" Tifa cried, hugging her friend.

"It's a long story." Alika hugged Tifa, shaking her head.

-Song: Nickelback, Savin' Me.

All rights reserved: Nickelback and Roadrunner Records