Disclaimer: They belong to Square Enix. Enjoy.

Notes: I've always loved the character of Aerith Gainsborough, especially the way she seemed to affect other people. To me, she always seemed to bring a sort of softness to each character, most especially Cloud Strife. In my opinion, she is, and will always be, one of the Final Fantasy icons of unconditional love and kindness, not just for those she loved, but for those who loved her.


Angel

I never really knew Aerith Gainsborough.

However, she knew me. I remember first meeting her…seeing her, barely a woman, with bright green child's eyes that looked beyond me. That gaze of hers…so warm, and knowing, as if she saw past who I was, saw into my heart and soul. For all I know, she could have been. She was an Ancient, the last of her kind, the last drop of blood to be spilt before the legacy of the Cetra died out completely.

And she was very beautiful. Both inside and out.

She never blamed me for being a Turk. Never blamed me for being part of Shinra Inc., even though they have made her life a living hell. She was kind and warm, and so forgiving, it shamed me. And in that shame, I grew angry. I wanted to grab her and hit her and make her cry, to anger her, to make her do anything besides smile at me during our encounters. I wanted to yell at her, demand fear from her, because every time we met it was like she was seeing an old friend, not a predator that sought to turn her into some sort of sideshowfreak. She was like an angel sent from the heavens, come down to shine her light upon the damned.

She knew nothing about anger, about fear and sadness. All she knew was love. She loved me.

And I loved her with all of my heart, or what was left of it. I don't know when I began to care about her, but it was very soon after I met her. With her kind heart, and honest words…it was hard not to love her, even if one tried. And believe me, I have tried.

And now I lie here, my own blood on my hands, with my last thoughts on her, and that's when I see her, standing in front of me, some sort of illusion, or mirage, or delusion of death, because that can't be Aerith, can't be the only person I've ever loved with silent tears running down her face.

"This is…the last time we'll see each other for a while."
"…"
"Thank you for taking care of me…Hojo would have done worse experiments if you weren't around."
"You sound like you're leaving."
"I am. People will be coming to get me soon. Are you going to try and stop them?"
"…"
"…Thank you. I promise we'll see each other again. I'll miss you."

Oh, god, she was crying for me.

I wanted to stop those tears so badly…

She kneels down beside me, and looks at me with one of her smiles, I told you we would see each other again, except she's still crying, and I wish I could just reach up, and wipe those tears away, but I'm tired, so damned tired, and my hands…I couldn't touch her with bloody hands, no, there's nothing you can do…

"Goodbye." It hurts to speak, hell, it hurts to breathe, but I want to say goodbye, I truly do, because it's not just goodbye I'm saying. It's goodbye, and I love you…more than anything.

And she just keeps smiling, because somehow, I think she knows I like seeing her smile, especially before I die…

It stopped hurting. I'm just numb now. And I can't move, and it's hard to see, but I know she's there, because she talks before the world fades away completely, and she's the last thing in my mind, in my head, in my heart, that girl with the green eyes, an angel in disguise.

And she loves me…

"Goodbye, Tseng."