One Last Flower

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The years had not been kind to the ruined city of Midgar; the emptiness within the polluted wreckage acted as a testament to how close humankind had come to destroying itself and the planet upon which it resided. Winds howled through the remains, crying out for all the souls which had been lost in the epic struggles which had taken place here. Yet all was not dreary and lifeless, and within the ruinous form of a fallen church, plants had begun to grow again, their green life slowly invading the polluted emptiness which surrounded it. The plants knew no sense of time, and so they slowly advanced outward over the years unaware of just how much time would have have to pass before they could defeat the remnants of Midgar. And so they continued their march of greenery and flowers, edging ever closer to the rest of the world.

As if it were the source of all life, a single cottage lay hastily constructed against the ruins of the fallen church. Its simple construction contrasted with the twisted, menacing machinery which surrounded the area. A bed of flowers lay next to the cottage, sprouting up towards a roof which had long since caved in, reaching towards the remnants of a stained glass window which cast them in shades of many colors. A thin trail of smoke came from a chimney built into the side of the cottage, wafting lazily into the midday sky.

Vincent cursed to himself as he trudged over a piece of buried and broken machinery, slowly making his way over the wreckage as he approached the cottage. He walked carefully, afraid to disturb the plants that had begun to take root there, his red cape billowing behind him as he neatly glided around the patches of greenery. Finally he reached the cottage, and as if annoyed with this very basic of traditions, he hesitated before he knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal an ancient man, his hair long bleached white by the passage of many decades, his form surprising slender and fit for such advanced age. For a moment the old man blinked as if trying to remember how to speak, but a smile soon animated his wrinkled face.

"Ah Vincent, it's been so very long. And you don't look a day older..." Cloud said pleasently, his voice scratchy and soft.

"It has." Vincent responded simply as he entered and seated himself on a small wooden chair. He turned and gestured to the vines creeping up a nearby window, "I see that the planet has begun to heal itself here."

"It has, someday I imagine that all of this will be covered with life again, but until then I'll keep tending this place." Cloud replied, but then his face turned up in a frown, "I don't imagine that's why you're here though."

"No. I came to tell you..." Vincent started to choke up slightly, a tear falling from his face, "tell you that Tifa has.. returned to the planet."

"I see. I'm sorry..." Cloud could say little more. In the years since he had taken up residence in these ruins, Vincent and Tifa had been growing closer in their shared pain. Eventually they had seen their mutual respect through to love, marriage and children. But they had always known that Vincent would live on long after she passed away.

"How is everyone taking it?" Cloud asked, concern for his friend showing through his wrinkled features.

"Pretty well I guess, we all knew she didn't have much longer." Vincent continued, "I came here to... well you were her friend and you should be there."

Cloud nodded simply in reply. "When is the.. ceremony taking place?"

"3 days from now, north of Kalm." Vincent replied, wiping the tear from his cheek.

"Hmm. I need to take care of a couple things and.. pack. I haven't left here in awhile." Cloud stated. "Come by tomorrow morning and I'll be ready to go. But uh... I may need some help." Cloud pointed to a cane leaning against the wall.

Vincent nodded and a moment of uncomfortable silence passed between them. They had both lived too long, their loves passing on and returning to the planet, leaving them behind. No words were necessary, and Vincent eventually stood up and moved toward the door. He turned as he left, his face obscured by the cape again.

"She wanted me to tell you something... she always knew how you felt for Aerith, how much you loved her... and when Tifa..." Vincent choked up a moment..."reaches her destination, she will make sure Aerith knows... how much you cared for her... and her legacy here."

Before he revealed any more emotion, Vincent vanished into the ruinous city, leaving Cloud alone again. Though the sadness at Tifa's death ate at him, he knew it wouldn't be long before he saw her again, before he saw everyone again. One day out of each year, they had all gotten together, the veterans of the old battles with Sephiroth, Shinra and so many more. The last year, only Vincent, Tifa, Nanaki and himself had been left, and Cloud wondered if they would continue to meet after he passed on. Who knew how long Vincent and Nanaki would live... But Vincent had children now, and grandchildren, maybe even more, Cloud thought to himself. And in a sense Tifa would live on through them. That didn't make it much easier though, and her death had brought home just how alone he was now. He wished he could have seen her one last time, comforted her... she was his family almost as surely as if they were brother and sister.

Cloud's thoughts wandered back to Aerith again, wishing she were here now to comfort him and relieve him of the hurt at having outlived most of his friends, his enemies and his love. Sometimes he wondered why she had sent him back after that he died that day, fighting against the remnants of Sephiroth not far from here.

In his dreams sometimes she came to him, and he did not know if it actually was her or simply a dream of her. In a way it didn't matter though, he felt at home in this place, at peace. He knew she would have approved of what he had done here, starting the process that would someday reclaim this ruined cityscape.

As if to quiet his ancient mind, Cloud wandered outside with gloves and a small shovel. He began to dig into the soil, turning it up and planting new seeds. Usually the plants would die the first few times, but eventually a few would take root in the ruined soil, and begin the process of cleansing it. Cloud was there every morning with water from the small pool which glistened in the old church, nourishing them and helping them to survive in this hostile world. Sometimes he would laugh to himself as he remembered falling through the roof and landing there, looking up at her beautiful face, filled with worry and concern over the stranger who had fallen into her life. Other times he felt as if his heart would burst as memories of her death came, unbidden, from the depths of his mind.

As he grew older he realized the necessity of it all, why it had to be her and no one else, why she was fated to die to save the planet and humanity along with it. He had come to terms long ago with what happened that day, but the emptiness in his heart remained, and he yearned for her, yearned to be with her and tell her all of the things he had wanted to say before.

He finished planting the last of the new seeds, and he hobbled over to fetch his watering can. For a moment a pain gripped his chest, another old wound acting up again. It was as if the past never died, it just returned to annoy you later in life. He leaned up against a ruined stone wall, catching his breath for a moment before picking up the watering can and hobbling back to the new patch of soil, finishing his work. Streams of glistening water moistened the soil, and Cloud silently hoped that the next batch would sprout stronger than before. He had a lot of work to do today, he had to leave his plants for awhile, and they would have to carry on without him. But age had its limits, and after watering and tending the rest of the growing garden, Cloud hobbled back inside and began searching for something he could throw a few changes of clothes in. But the work had taken a lot out of him, and he laid down for a nap, dozing off as sunset cast the old church in a bright orange glow.

The dream started out much the same as the others often had. Cloud felt himself pulled into a field of beautiful flowers, far more majestic and amazing than anything he had grown in the ruins of Midgar. He saw glimmering whiteness everywhere, filling the world with a heavenly glow... and he heard that soft beautiful voice which moved him almost to tears. My angel... he thought.

"Yes, I'm here." The angel began. Somehow she looked more real, more distinct than usual, Cloud thought.

"I've missed you..." Cloud began, but then the old cold and distant personality clung to him and he couldn't say more.

"I've never left you... I've always been with you." Aerith replied, her voice floating as if it were made of the wind itself.

"I wish I could say more, I..." Cloud began, trying to force the words out that he had kept within him for so long.

"Shhh... it's okay. I know." Aerith answered, interrupting him before he could begin. "We will be together soon.. I've waited for so long."

"I don't... don't know why... I could be worthy of.. you." Cloud continued for a moment.

"Dilly dally shilly shally. Don't talk like that. Just because I'm here.. doesn't mean I'm a Goddess." Aerith started to laugh. "Remember? You tried convincing me not to come with you to rescue Tifa, too hard, too dirty for a girl like me eh?" Aerith continued with mock indignance.

"I just... no you're right." Cloud finished. "You're so beautiful, so wise, so.. everything that I wanted... and had never known I wanted. And I let that influence me too much, I always wanted to protect you. I guess I got worse after... you..."

"I died? That's the past. Remember I told you I wanted to meet the real Cloud... you don't need any of that bravado or insecurity with me. That's never been the real you... I've always seen through it." Aerith smiled brightly, and Cloud couldn't help but smile in return.

Something changed in the world around him, and there was a flash of intense pain. He seemed lighter somehow, his insecurity melted around him and all he could feel was his love for this woman before him. For a moment he thought he saw the cottage again, the same drab walls surrounded by the beautiful plants that had grown up all around Aerith's church. But that world faded away again.

"That's the real you..." Aerith smiled again. "You're the one who selflessly came for me, the one who came for Tifa, the one who was always there to help his friends and help the planet heal its wounds alone in the ruins of civilization. That's the man I love, that's the man I've always loved... All you have to do is let it go..."

And he did. His guilt vanished, his pain disappeared and he felt whole again. The layers of anguish that had built up over the years melted away and he found himself letting go of the past and embracing his future.. with her. He felt himself crash through something hard and unforgiving. Pieces of roofing material and wooden splinters fell all around him as he landed in a bed of beautiful flowers. Aerith was there, looking down on him, holding her basket and smiling softly.

"Welcome home..." She said sweetly, her voice soft and melodic.

It was then that he noticed the wrinkled skin on his hands and face was smooth again, the old winterly gray hair had given way to his old spiky blonde. Unlike those old days there was no sword strapped to his back, no weight on his shoulders, just love in his heart. And he could feel her, almost as if she were a part of him, as if their very souls were intertwined. He stood up and brushed himself off, feeling no pain. He felt her move close against him, her soft skin touching his, her lips brushing up against his. The kiss seemed to stretch out into eternity, and his heart fluttered as his hand reached for her back, holding her tightly as if he would never let go.

"I will always love you, it's always been you..." Cloud whispered as their lips parted. Aerith felt her soul rejoicing at the words she had longed to hear for so long. Her smile brightened and she was once again the flower girl that he had known so long ago, so cheerful and kind.

"Come, let me show you forever... the others are waiting for you." Aerith smiled and took his hand as they walked forward into the blinding whiteness.

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Vincent knocked on the door again, his frustration finally getting the better of him. I don't care if he's old, Vincent thought, if he slept in for Tifa's funeral, he's going to get it bad. Light filtered in from the window, and Vincent stared out for a moment, noticing how much the plants had grown since yesterday; they seemed to be blossoming everywhere. Seeing no sign of Cloud in the living area, Vincent quietly pushed open the bedroom door, and saw Cloud laying in bed. Something was wrong, Vincent noticed immediately as he rushed towards him.

"I'm too late..." Vincent felt the pain creeping up again as he felt the cold skin and lack of pulse. He wanted to scream, he felt alone in the world without his friends and his love... They had fought together, they had lost together and won together, and now they were gone. Vincent looked up again at Cloud's old, weathered face and saw a peaceful smile there. It was then that he noticed Cloud's right hand holding the flower, a beautiful blossom that he had clutched tightly even in death. For a moment Vincent sat there.. and then he smiled through his pain as he looked around him, at the life that had started here from Cloud's efforts, at the life that would someday reclaim this wasted land. Cloud had fought his last battle and won... and now he had gone home.

A part of Vincent longed to go there too, where his love must be... but not yet. Some purpose must still await him, some last battle to be won...