Chapter One - Out For a Ride

Wherever you see flowers bloom, you'll find me there with you.


The swirling atmosphere of space danced around her vision. From where she stood in the Lifestream, the blanket of stars swirled around her like glowing fireflies in the night. Amidst the stars and the endless knowledge that existed within the vast universe that circled around her, the young woman caught sight of the bright star that she could distinguish from any other.

Gently, she brought her arm up towards the star, her palm open as if to warmly invite the star to her. She smiled as the star set place in her palm, glistening brighter than any other. The endless realm of space around her dissolved, fading back into the green energy of the Lifestream in which she now existed. Emerald particles drifted around her, a peaceful smile on her face.

Her smile softened upon a closer look at the star in the palm of her hand. She drew her hand closer to her face and upon examining the bright orb closer, a rolling grassland appeared within it. The Cetra felt a warm glow encircle her heart as she closed her eyes.


A motorcycle darted across the rolling grasslands, leaving and disappearing into the distant fields just as soon as it had passed. Cloud Strife shifted the frames of his tinted glasses, his eyes set on his destination before him - the urban city of Edge, located just on the outskirts of Midgar.

Midgar had fallen into a state of ruin after the damage done by Meteorfall. While the city covered by the plate and all the sectors therein were never a welcoming place to live, Midgar was all but livable now. The Slums has only further been tarnished by unsavory residents and activities, Wallmarket had been burgled, ransacked and nearly quarantined and the sectors themselves had fallen into a place of disrepair and danger when pieces of the plate began to break away.

Even the Shinra Headquarters, which stood as the prominent core domineering over all of Midgar, had fallen and appeared broken, much to the content of Avalanche and all that opposed the Shinra Company. It was a new world, a different world than it was three years ago and, with the fall of Shinra, one could only hope that it was becoming a better one.

But then there was the church - her church, he thought to himself as he sped across the plains. It was where they had met and it had become his haven of solitude and peace, his own place, as he'd called it. Even when the world seemed broken and all hope was lost, he felt at peace there, in that place that made him feel closer to her than ever. Although the rest of Midgar was destroyed and changed, her church remained the same as the very day they had met.

As long as the flowers continued to bloom, he would always find peace knowing she was there.

A call rang from his cell phone then, which he somehow heard over the blaring engine of the motorcycle. He decelerated his speed until he was able to firmly set a foot on the ground to steady the entire motorcycle. He dug into his trouser pocket and reached for his phone, flipping it open and placing it up to his ear.

"Strife Delivery Service. It's Cl-" The blonde man stopped short, as his friend's boisterous voice interrupted from the other end. "Barret...hi. I just finished my trip to Kalm. Had a week's worth of deliveries to bring. I'm on my way back."

Cloud closed the phone and placed it back in his pocket. A moment later, he was off again, carried across the rolling grass fields as he sped off towards Edge.

As he'd known, it was different world now. It was different than it was years ago and it would continue to change as he continued to live. But it was still a world he lived in without her. He didn't necessarily know how to handle the idea of the world continuing to change even as she wasn't there to see it with him, but he knew that, for his and her sake, he would find a way to live on and challenge each day at a time.

Traveling across the grass plains before him, he looked down at the pink ribbon that was tightly fastened around his arm. Living on was made easier for him when he always felt her presence with him, knowing that there would one day come a day where their reunion would take place and his search for eternal happiness would be fulfilled.

As the motorcycle continued to carry Cloud across the flowing plains, the afternoon sun set a golden glow across the entire world before him. He didn't realize it at the time, but within a day, a new story would begin and his next journey was already calling.


The afternoon streets near the center of Edge were like any other day, bustling and crowded with people shopping, kids playing in the urban streets or employees racing to catch the scheduled train. Tall buildings stretched into the sky, creating a cluster of structures that made up Edge and distinguished it from any other town or city in their world. Edge was urban with a sort of grittiness, fast-paced lifestyle and intolerance for nonsense that came with living there. In many ways, it was a lot like Midgar, which was not surprising since many people had migrated from there shortly after their sector had fallen to ruin and Edge became established.

It had been several months since the effects of the Geostigma disease had been cured throughout the world and the people had began to piece their lives back together again, not worrying when death was going to claim them. The once believed-to-be incurable disease caused people to give up on their lives and accept death as their only answer. People had lost lives, families, friends, children...The Planet seemed dire even after the threat of Meteor was extinguished.

But the miraculous rainfall from the heavens above caused water to gather within the flower girl's church, providing the healing properties to cure the ailments of Geostigma. The people saw it as a miracle, a mysterious act of pure light that granted new life, but Cloud knew the truth. The healing rainfall was brought upon them all by her and he was forever grateful to her more than his own words could ever say.

For the first time in awhile, with the Shinra Company, Meteor and Geostigma gone, the citizens had felt like the world had finally achieved the peace they had once thought was unattainable.

Off the center courtyard of Edge, where a tall statue of an angel stood, down a narrow street stood a bar by the name of the Seventh Heaven. The bar had seen a quiet afternoon, only receiving a few patrons every hour or so.

Behind the bar's counter, Tifa had already started to wipe down the counter top and put the liquor bottles away, preparing to close the bar early that night. The young woman opened the register and let out a sigh as she counted the gil earned that day. Her sigh turned into a groan of discontent when she'd not made the sales she'd hoped for.

"Damn, sales are down, huh," asked Barret, who was sitting at one of the bar stools, as he chugged a beer down.

Tifa nodded and looked up at him from register, "Yep, for today at least. I can't necessarily blame it on people, either. After everything that's happened these last few months, people are finally starting to get outside the city and travel some more. I don't blame them for not wanting to spend the afternoon here, though it isn't exactly the best for business..."

"What do you mean not the best for business?!" Reno slammed his empty glass down on the freshly-cleaned counter after gulping down the last of his beverage. "I've been givin' you more business than you'd make in a week. I've been here since at least noon!"

"I'm well aware," said Tifa under her breath as she rolled her eyes. She couldn't even wrap her mind around why the former enemy had spent nearly the entire afternoon in her bar. Though, as long as he wasn't being too much of a nuisance and kept asking for drinks, and therefore her earning gil, she would manage to put up with him.

As Reno demanded another beverage, Tifa went off towards the cabinets, examining a few of the bottles, before mixing a drink together for him.

"So, have you heard how things have been going in Corel, Barret," she asked, passing the drink to Reno. She joked, "Can't say their successful without your leadership skills to keep them going, right?"

Some time ago, Barret had returned to Corel and was at the forefront of a project that led him and many of the people of Corel to search through the desert to find rare minerals, oil and other resources that were going to be used to prosper the future of the desert town. With Barret at the center of the cause, he finallygot to not only be the 'leader in charge' he always wanted to be, but it helped amend his relations with the people of Corel, altogether.

Barret laughed, "It was a mess down there when I got there 'while back. Can't say I ain't too surprised, though! The place was trashed when I lived there way back when, an' its only gottin' worse! I'm just glad I got Marlene out of there when I did."

Tifa smiled, "Yeah, Marlene's been great around here, you know. She's become so close with Denzel after Cloud found him and now the two are great friends."

"Well, thanks for lookin' after her while I was gone," he smiled. "But her papa ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon now."

Between her small chores and preparing the bar to close, Tifa thought about the past couple of months. She'd spent a lot of time taking care of Marlene with Barret. It was very reminiscent of their earlier days years ago back in the Sector Seven slums. Denzel, even though still a young boy, was very much independent and took care of himself. Whenever Cloud had the time, the two of them would go off on their own, which Denzel appreciated, as he felt a likeness to Cloud that Tifa nor Barret would understand.

As far as she was concerned, taking care of Marlene with Barret was a lot like extending her family, which only grew further when Cloud and then Denzel were brought in by Marlene. For the first time in a while, she felt like she was a part of a family and it was a feeling that she loved, especially after a childhood where her family and home were taken away. Sensing the way she had acted around them, she had felt like a mother to Marlene, Denzel and even Cloud. It was a feeling that made her happy and content.

'Denzel is a lot like Cloud, he's very introverted and quiet. He'll keep everything to himself,' she thought quietly to herself.

When she thought of Marlene, she couldn't help but see fragments of her friend, the flower girl, in her. The young girl was kind and outgoing, she always did her best to stay positive and make everyone around her feel better. She'd choose making everyone else happy before even thinking of herself. She even wore a light pink bow in her hair, which almost made their resemblance uncanny. It was easy to see that Marlene looked up to the flower girl as a role model and someone that she had loved.

Tifa snapped out of her thoughts and gave Barret a pat on the back. "Of course, it's what I'm here for."

Reno interrupted, "Damn, Tifa. How many people you got staying here? You now running a hotel?" He finished his drink and placed his glass down on the table.

"I don't know, sometimes it really feels like it."

The hum of a familiar motorcycle engine could be heard just outside of the bar, which caused Barret, Tifa and Reno to life their heads up. A moment later, Cloud propped open the door and made his way inside. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Damn, Cloud! Took ya long enough," Barret laughed. "You were just goin' to Kalm? With how slow you were takin', we thought your spiky ass was headin' all the way to Junon!"

"Sorry, got caught up," Cloud explained. "A lot of fiends out there today."

Tifa looked up from swiping down the bar top that Reno had just messed up again. "No worries. Just doing some cleaning up around here. I'm thinkin' about closing the bar up early today. We haven't had a customer in a while and the only one I'm serving right now is...well, this one," she said, passing an annoyed glance at Reno.

Reno laughed and placed his chin in his palms, a feigned, cheeky smile on his lips, "You're so kind."

Tifa shook her head, ignoring the comment and went back behind the counter, where she continued her closing chores.

Barret patted Cloud on the back, "Yo, Spike! Take a seat, have a beer!"

Cloud shook his head and waved Barret off, "Maybe..in a little bit. I've got to run upstairs to my room and finish looking up some delivery papers I left on the desk. Do you guys need anything down here?"

"Nope. I got things covered, unless you want to help out by dragging Reno out of here," said Tifa.

"Oh, whatever," Reno scoffed, lifting his glass to his lips to get whatever traces of alcohol there was left.

Cloud waved them off and made his way to the small hall at the back of the bar. He quickly made his way to the end of the hall and reached the wooden staircase that ascended to the second level of the building.

Once Cloud was down the hall, Tifa turned from the bar and looked at Barret, "How do you think he's been?"

Barret looked up from his drink and shrugged at Tifa. "Who knows? Spike's a...hard guy to read. He's been better though than before, right? At least he's not shuttin' all of us out anymore. So, he's gotta be doin' a little bit better. Or is that just my wishful thinkin'?"

Tifa let out a sigh and crossed her arms, "I don't really know, Barret. Ever since his Geostigma was cured, he seems better...I think? It's hard to say. He's put all of himself into his work, so I guess that keep him busy. The both of us don't really see him too often anymore."

"That's for sure," grunted Barret. It wasn't often that he showed a serious, emotional concern for Cloud, but when he did, the feelings felt by Barret were truly genuine for Cloud, no matter what colorful expletives he'd nicknamed the blonde.

"He seems to be...passing through life day to day," Tifa contemplated. "I know he's been through a lot, but...I guess I can't really understand everything he's feeling."

She continued to ponder the change that she had seen in Cloud ever since the end of their first mission. After Cloud defeated Sephiroth, Cloud and Barrett had helped her establish this new bar in Edge and the three had lived there with Marlene. When Cloud got sick with Geostigma, it had caused a strain with everybody that he knew. Nobody had heard from him at all for months; it was like Cloud wanted to disappear. During that time, Tifa had discovered that Cloud had taken refuge in the church in the slums, as it offered him peace and comfort.

Cloud had become overcome with guilt over all of his failures, but mostly, for not being able to save his cherished one.

Cloud felt that he was useless to his friends and the family he was welcomed into. Geostigma had caused him to lose his desire to live. If dying meant being with her again, it was something he'd quickly accepted and he let himself succumb to his sickness. He wanted to let himself die and with his life at its end, he moved into the church to live out his days in whatever peace he could find.

Tifa had chastised Cloud for letting himself give up so easily, but she couldn't understand everything he was feeling, either. She wanted to help him, but her confrontation with Cloud's problems caused him to only draw himself further away. She didn't know how to handle Cloud or his problems and when she had tried to do so, it backfired. She'd let out her aggression on her friendship with Cloud and things quickly became uneasy and challenging as their friendship appeared on thin ice.

Ever since their initial journey, Tifa had been battling with her own emotions for Cloud. They'd known each other ever since childhood, but they didn't really know each other. It was only until Cloud had left town in hopes to join SOLDIER did Tifa think about Cloud. With the idea of having a hero to call her own, Tifa had formed feelings for Cloud with the hopes of him being that hero, but as her feelings carried over into adulthood, they never seemed to match Cloud's and her heart hurt because of it.

When Cloud had met Aerith, Tifa couldn't deny the jealousy she felt as she watched the two form their own world together. She hated herself for it, too, as Aerith was one of her first real friends. She hated how she'd felt, how she was dishonest about Cloud's past; she would change many things if she could and she carried just as many burdens as Cloud did. Even after Sephiroth's defeat, she'd had inner battles with her emotions and how to better her own self. In the time of Cloud contacting Geostigma, she'd let go of her feelings for him and focused on taking care of her family. It was then when she really started to feel like a mother to Cloud, and for the first time, she felt happy and content with her relationship to Cloud through those feelings.

Now, she focused on just wanting to be a great friend to him, Barret and the others and that's all she wanted.

When Cloud had finally been cured of Geostigma, Tifa saw something change within Cloud. The forgiveness he sought was given to him, the peace he had searched for was finally found. Cloud had seemed lighter to everyone, he wasn't as burdened as he was for the many months before. Tifa knew it was because Cloud had found forgiveness, reassurance and hope from Aerith - and he was changed for it.

Since that time, Cloud would still go off on his own and spend most of his time by himself. He still wasn't entirely himself, everyone didn't expect him to be entirely himself again. Ever since Aerith's death, Tifa and the others had felt like a part of Cloud was missing...and they were right.

Tifa shrugged and frowned as she thought out loud, "He deserves to be happy...in whatever way he can find happiness. Ever since that first mission at the reactor, I think it's time to cut the guy some slack. He's been though a lot."

Barret agreed and crossed his arms over his chest, "We all have. To think back then...Biggs, Wedge and Jesse, if they could see everything that's happened, they'd be # $%&#%' themselves! And Dyne, too. Another one we lost along the way..." He continued, "...Aerith, can't ever forget that smile."

Tifa smiled softly, in silent agreement.

"If we ever need a reason why we should keep on keepin' on, I think doin' it for all the people that mean the most to us are reason enough, right?"

She nodded, "Yeah, you're right."

Barret turned to the hallway that Cloud had disappeared down. "Only hope Spike feels that way, too..."


When Cloud reached the top of the stairs, he passed by Marlene and Barret's room, which was placed right next to Tifa's. Down the small upstairs hall, Denzel had made claim to the small room which was just next to Cloud's bedroom and office. As he passed by Denzel's room, Cloud noticed Denzel and Marlene. He gave a small wave to the two, a tight-lipped smile across his face.

"Cloud!" Marlene exclaimed, as she leaped to her feet. She made her way over to him along with Denzel. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Papa was wondering what was taking you so long."

"Ran into some creatures that needed taking care of," Cloud said, crossing his arms, trying not to smile at the two kids that seemed excited at the notion of him defeating monsters.

"I'm sure you took them out real quick," Denzel said, copying Cloud's pose.

"You know it, kid." The blonde leaned on the door frame, "Look, I got to go finish up some work stuff. How about I catch you later? We'll go out on the bike."

"Awesome," Denzel replied with a big grin.

Cloud turned from the room and continued down the hall, trying to suppress his smirk as he heard Marlene playfully complain how the two of them always get to do 'all the fun stuff'.

Cloud opened the door to his room and approached his desk, which was cluttered with paperwork that had yet to be sorted through. His room was rather bare. In the opposite corner was his bed. There was a wool rug in the center of the room, covering the cold, wooden floor. On the top of his desk, there were a series of photos of his friends in AVALANCHE, along with one of him standing off to the side of Tifa, Marlene and Denzel, a picture taken by Barret.

Scattered about his desk and covered the board on the wall were dozens of pictures of beautiful yellow and white flower fields, each taken by Cloud himself. Each one was a reminder of Aerith and so, he flooded his desk with them to have as many reminders as he could.

Staring down at his desk with the photos of his friends there looking back at him, what did pain his heart was that he didn't have a single photo of her.

He tried to shake off the sad feeling that overcame him and opened the desk drawer, placing the delivery service files inside. As he made his way through the folders he kept dedicated to his business, tracking what deliveries he had made and what new service requests had been ordered for him, he couldn't help but look up at the photographs of the flower fields. His eyes wandered from one of the photos to the next, a small smile appearing across his lips.

'I'll be waiting, bodyguard,' Cloud heard a voice speaking to him from within his heart, his soul.

'You always have the perfect timing,' he thought to himself, before he closed the desk drawer and stood up.

'I'm on my way.'


Back downstairs, Tifa had just finished closing the bar for the day. The last thing that she had left to take care of was Reno, whom she was trying to push out for the night. She took him by the collar, pulling him from the bar stool and practically dragged him to the door. "Come on. Place is closed."

"Oh, come on! I don't want to go back to those numbskulls!" Reno tried to persuade. "Ever since Shinra fell flat on its' ass," he coughed, "thanks to you guys...they have had me doing one stupid mission after another! Rufus had been nothing less than a real pain in the ass recently. To think, the Turks used to be an elite group..."

Tifa rolled her eyes, "Not my problem, Reno. Shinra and the Turks squabbling for purpose - sounds like a dream come true."

"Your sympathy is touching," Reno replied sarcastically.

Barret laughed from his seat, "You a real dumbass."

Cloud appeared from the downstairs hall, watching the scene unfold for a moment with a perplexed look on his face. "Everything...okay down here?"

"Yup, Tifa's just takin' out the trash," Barret joked, not bothering to see the glare from Reno.

"Look, okay, okay, I get it. We weren't best friends in the past, but come on," Reno tried to persuade. "I'm a changed man."

Tifa stared at him, her expression unchanging, telling Reno know that she was one not to be fooled. "Yeah, I don't think so."

Cloud made his way towards the door, "Okay then...I'm heading out. I'll be back in a bit." Without another word, he made his way from the bar, not wanting to get caught up in kicking Reno out of the bar again and would leave it to Barret this time.

Tifa took Reno by the arm, shooting Barret a glance. "Reno, come on, I think you have had enough to drink. The bar's closed! I'm done for the day! Come back tomorrow."

Reno's cell phone suddenly began to ring. "Hang on a sec, babe," Reno slurred, holding his finger up to Tifa, deciding to ignore the angered look on her face.

"Yo, whatsup?"

While Reno continued his conversation, Tifa continued to sort out any mess that caught her attention around the bar, notably, the additional empty glasses that Reno had left along the bar top. She muttered something about him under her breath as she got to cleaning.

"Oh geez, this one sounds like fun. I'll see you in fifteen." Reno lifted himself off of the bar, heading towards the door, Tifa trailing closely behind him, in case he decided to change his mind. "That was Rude. Turns out Rufus gave us another one of those stupid missions I was talkin' bout. It's been real fun."

"Of course it has", Tifa sarcastically replied, shutting the door behind him and locking it immediately. 'Ok, now that that's taken care of...'

There was a moment of silence between Tifa and Barret, something that had seemed uncommon after the last several hours of Reno's presence.

Barret was first to break the silence, "So, where do you think Spike's run off to this time?"

Tifa smiled, "Where do you think?"


On his motorcycle, Cloud shot down the highway, passing through the fields and vast mountains that stretched far beyond Edge and led towards Kalm and the Chocobo Farms. The clouds in the sky gave way to a beautiful orange sunset that seemed to cover the stretch of land before him for many miles.

Cloud felt a warmth in his heart, almost as if it was directing him on where to go. He followed this feeling, directing him and guiding him to where he was meant to go, just as it always had. Moments later, fields of beautiful flowers spread out around the single road then. The flower fields spread endlessly, covering every inch of the earth in their beauty. The carnations swayed in the gentle breeze, welcoming and peaceful.

It was then when Cloud caught sight of pink n the midst of the flower fields and he began to slow down the bike's speed. Pulling off to the side of the road, he steadied the motorcycle until it pulled to a stop. He stepped down from the bike and trailed a few feet forward, walking a short distance into the flower field. Yellow and white flower petals surrounded him, comforted him and enticed him to walk further. The fresh scent of the flowers flooded his senses and drew out all his memories of the flower girl.

He stepped further into the flower field, feeling a hazy, almost dream-like aura cover him. It felt like he had walked from one world and entered into another, a peaceful, tranquil place where all he'd know was happiness.

Then, her voice cheerfully spoke from behind him, soft and gentle.

"There you are. I've been waiting for you."

Cloud's heart beat faster, feeling the familiar warmth glow from inside when he heard the beautiful, familiar voice. He turned around to find the flower girl in the midst of the flower field, and just as he had always done here, he smiled for her.


"Hmph, I never thought I'd see the day. What business do we have going inside there again?" Reno asked Rude amused, as the two made their way down the now quieter streets of Edge.

Rude led Reno down one of the alleyways.

"Rufus has heard reports of suspicious activity coming from inside and he wants us to look into it," Rude stated, adjusting the knot in his tie and straightening out his dark glasses that hid his eyes.

"Suspicious activity, huh?" Reno let out a sigh, followed by a slight hiccup. He nearly tripped over the curb of the sidewalk, as Rude lent him a hand to help regain his balance, the alcohol suddenly getting the best of him. If he had known that he was going to be heading out on an important mission, Reno never would have stopped by Tifa's bar at all.

"And he wants us to look into it? This sounds more like Strife's kind of job. What happened to the good, old days of the usual kidnapping and physical assault? But why send us back there when that place is in shambles as it is? He should know. What would be inside that heap of trash? The president doesn't even go inside there anymore. Not that he's been awfully busy these days, anyway."

Rude replied, "He still has more power than we do and orders are still orders. Let's get on our way."

The two continued into the center of Edge and made their way down the street, towards a helicopter that was parked just off of the central plaza of the city.

Rude examined the sun off behind the set of buildings in the far corner of the central plaza. "The sun is setting soon, we should get there before sundown."

Reno quickly countered, "Ughhh...it's like Rufus knows how much of a pain in the ass this is. How many times have we gone on these stupid missions and every time, they all end the same w-way - us getting punched out. He knows that we're barely ever c-cut out for this kind of stuff," he slurred, letting out an inaudible curse.

"By the looks of your drunken stumbling, does it come across as such a surprise," a woman's voice shouted out from behind them.

The two Turks turned around to their comrade that approached them. "Elena. Where have you been?"

"Rufus had given Tseng and I a task in the city. When we first got word of the suspicious activity inside the Shinra building, Rufus had sent the two of us to look into it. We tried to track down the source, but whatever it was got away."

'Where's Tseng now," Rude asked.

"He's waiting for us at the entrance of the headquarters. When he got there, he considered that it might be best if he phoned in the president for some re-enforcement," Elena replied, leading the two men towards the helicopter door, opening the metal latch and stepping into the vehicle.

Reno sighed, exasperated, "Ohhh, so THAT'S what's so important...figures." The red-headed man followed closely behind Elena into the helicopter. Rude sat in the pilot's seat, shutting the latch and powering up the engine. The hum of the engine could be heard, as the helicopter was preparing for takeoff.

"We don't know what we're up against. Rufus figured that it would be best to have as many hands on deck as possible," said Elena. "Whatever made its way inside the building, it made a mess along the way. Pretty scary stuff to be happening inside an abandoned building of that size."

The propellers of the helicopter rapidly began to circle as it took off into the sky. With Rude at the helm of the controls, the copter was soon high above the city of Edge, headed directly towards the foreboding headquarters building the three had once called their workplace.

"Well, can't say I miss the place too much," Reno replied in a dry tone, looking over the now dilapidated structure of the Shinra Headquarters.

The signage of the building had fallen away, glass windows were broken and shattered, scraps of metal had began peeling and falling from the building and there was an overgrown, unlived presence that formed over the entire building.

"Well, home sweet home..."


"There you are. I've been waiting for you."

Cloud's heart beat faster, feeling the familiar warmth glow from inside when he heard the beautiful, familiar voice. He turned around to find the flower girl in the midst of the flower field, and just as he had always done here, he smiled for her.

The sudden appearance didn't startle Cloud in the slightest. He had come to this flower field many times and the presence of the voice and the woman it belonged to was more than welcoming. For a moment, Cloud hesitated, looking down towards his feet as a crimson shade crossed his cheeks. He pulled his eyes up to meet hers and the rest of the world around him seemed to fade away.

Once her emerald eyes met his, the Cetra woman felt a warm smile form on her lips. When the corners of Cloud's lips twitched upwards in exchange, Aerith couldn't help but let out a small smirk.

"I was hoping I'd see you today," she leaned forward and clasped her hands behind her back.

"You see me every day," Cloud said back with a small smile.

"I know," she let out a laugh and teased, "I always know when you're on your way...even when you're skipping work to do it."

He walked a bit farther into the flower field, almost as if walking into an alternate dream world where the flower girl was.

"I wanted to see you though," Cloud lowered his eyes, letting a small blush appear across his cheeks. He scratched the back of his head, boyishly trying to avert his gaze to appear more collected. "Even if I was here yesterday..."

"Cloud, you could come here every day if that would make you happy," Aerith said sincerely.

He looked up at her, his eyes meeting hers again. He nodded, "It would. I just...I..." He lowered his head when he couldn't think of the words to say to explain himself, but he didn't need to. Aerith saw through to his heart and could feel the words he wanted to speak.

"Hey, it's okay. I understand," Aerith took another step closer to Cloud and reached out to touch his arm, squeezing him gently. "All that matters is that you're here now. I missed you...even if it's only been a few hours."

He raised his head to see the flower girl looking into his eyes, a beautiful smile on her face.

Cloud opened his mouth to say something, but was surprised when the words couldn't form. He lowered his head yet again and mentally kicked himself when his words always got lost once in the presence of the flower girl.

Aerith simply squeezed Cloud's arm again and pulled him along with her, always knowing how to handle Cloud best in any situation.

Aerith understood who Cloud was. She knew that Cloud was a very introverted, quiet person. He didn't speak much of what was on his mind or really all that much about himself at all, but after the time she spent with him during their journey, and even now during these times when he visited her, she had seen him open himself up to her more than anybody else and that was all due to her. She had melted the icy wall that had frosted itself around his heart. When he was with her, his defenses came down and his walls with it, making it easy for Aerith to see through to his heart and see the real Cloud within.

Aerith knelt down towards the earth and examined the beautiful carnations, touching the softness of the petal with the tips of her fingers. The flower girl adjusted her position and found a soft patch of grass to sit on, while enjoying the peaceful scenery around her. A slight wind blew through the glade of flowers, causing them all to sway in the direction of the breeze. Aerith gently tucked a few of her chestnut brown bangs behind her ear, admiring the setting sunset in the distance.

Cloud stepped closer to her, before sitting down in the space next to her. There was a quiet tranquility that passed between them as they took in their surroundings and found themselves at peace. The space between them didn't need to be filled with words, as they were entirely content and comfortable with just being with one another there.

Aerith looked out to the flowers, "You know, these were always my favorite kind of flowers. They remind me of the ones that I used to have back in the church. They bloom so beautifully wherever they grow."

Cloud nodded his head, his shoulder brushing up against hers as they sat side by side. "I always take a flower back with me whenever I come to visit. My desk back at my room is filled with them."

She leaned her shoulder into him and raised an eyebrow as she smiled at him, "I've noticed."

He turned to face her, "That way, even if I can't always be here, I like to have a piece of this place with me."

Aerith looked at Cloud, her smile softening a bit. There was a moment of silence between the two. "It's a good thing these flowers bloom so easily then."

He let out a quiet chuckle in response. Cloud's smile reappeared, realizing that it was the first time he laughed that day and how it was always with her. His smiles, his laughs, the side of himself that no one else saw was always saved for his time here with her.

Aerith loved seeing him smile and laugh, something that only she had seen him do when she was alive. She looked back out on the setting sun from where the two of them sat now. From the corner of her eye, she looked at Cloud. She knew that when Cloud had first come here and was able to physically see and talk to her, he was amazed. She had left the living and returned to the Lifestream and yet, she was still here, seemingly as alive as the day they had first met. In the past, his fractured mind, his sorrow and then his Geostigma had made it difficult for her voice to reach him, but she finally broke through to him and now, Cloud felt as though she was with him, always and that was the comfort he needed.

These visits, these moments shared together, it reminded the two of them of their times together when she was alive and how much life had changed. It was reminiscent of the moments shared in the Sector Six park or the time they sat around the bonfire at Cosmo Canyon. The two sat in content, finding peace within one another in a place that they shared together.

These moments, although irreplaceable to the both of them, sometimes felt like they weren't enough for them and there was nothing that could change that. She knew that she had belonged to the Lifestream now and could not fully return to the living world as herself. She had to make the most out of these moments she shared there with him.

Aerith knew that deep inside Cloud's heart, there would always be a part of him that would feel the pain and sadness of knowing that he had not saved her from being killed. She had told him that coming for her in the first place was all that mattered. He was there for her until the end and that was enough for her.

Even as she sacrificed her life to save the Planet and everyone that lived on it, Cloud would have done anything to turn back time and change it all if he could.

But even these daily visits in the flower fields would not heal his sadness, knowing she was no longer in the same world as him anymore.

When he would let out the small laugh or start to smile, she could still see the sadness in his eyes. It was a look that was solemn, almost unnoticeable if you had not stared at the young man directly. It was like a facade that Cloud had put on, almost as if to tell her that everything was okay, even when she knew that it wasn't.

The two continued to sit shoulder to shoulder, a light breeze dancing through the fields as they stared off into the sunset that had cast an orange glow over the field.

Cloud broke the silence that had formed and turned to the flower girl, "Aerith?"

Her head turned, "Hm?"

"I always wondered...how did you find this place? I've been here almost every day since you first called me here, but when I'm here with you in this place, it almost feels like a 'different world'," Cloud thought out loud to her.

Aerith brought her knees up to her chest, "Well, you're not wrong. This place was made by the Planet just for us."

He raised his eyebrow and questioned, "Is this...the Lifestream? Or the Promised Land?"

She placed a finger on her chin as she thought, before turning to him with a small smile. "Maybe...a little of both."

"What do you mean," he asked her.

"This place is still very much a part of the real world and yet, it's not," Aerith said, with a sense of otherworldly wisdom. "When you were fighting Sephiroth and then when you were inflicted with Geostigma, as I watched you from the Lifestream, I called out to the Planet and asked it how I could see you again..."

Cloud nodded in realization, "I asked the Planet the same thing..."

She smiled at him, "It took some time, but the Planet finally returned to me with an answer. I tried so hard to call out to you, but my voice was lost against the sadness and grief you carried. Finally, I got through to you. When you started to heal, my voice was able to find you. The Planet guided me to this flower field. I called out to you..."

"And I heard you calling my name...from inside my soul," Cloud said, almost to himself. He slowly brought his hand up and placed it over his heart, recalling those many moments when he could hear Aerith's voice echoing from within him.

"So, that's how we were able to find this place," said Cloud. "I never knew for sure until now."

She nodded, "Mhm. So, I think this place is a bit of both the Lifestream and the Promised Land. Ever since I became part of the Lifestream, I've learned so much knowledge and history from my mother and the other Cetra before us. The Promised Land, a place of eternal happiness. Once believed to be only a legend, but it's very real, though...it's different for every person. Some people live their entire life before they realize they've found it."

"I understand," Cloud said, a small smile beginning to appear on his face.

She turned to him, an eyebrow raised as she coyly grinned at him. "There's that smile. What are you thinking about?"

He blushed and shook his head, bringing a hand up to scratch through his spiky blonde locks. "N-nothing."

She stared at him for a moment longer, her smile never fading as she came to her own conclusion as to what Cloud was thinking of. Their chemistry was so organic and amazing. She never wanted to force any truths or emotions from within Cloud, but was surprised how he just naturally opened up to her. Even her light teases and pushes in the right direction saw Cloud responding to her differently than any other person in the world. They complimented one another perfectly.

Cloud could sense Aerith staring at him for just a moment longer and felt the blush rise to his cheeks. He stared down at the white and yellow carnations by his feet. He always felt so boyish and shy around her, but knew that he trusted her so much that he could tell her anything easily.

She was taken a little by surprise when he turned to her and spoke, warmth filling his smooth voice.

"This is my Promised Land."

Aerith looked at him, a beautiful sparkle in her emerald eyes. They were filled with devotion and hope.

"I understand now. The answer I received from the Planet - this is my Promised Land," said Cloud to himself again, as if solidifying his conclusion.

A small smile flickered across Aerith's lips.

Cloud stared into her eyes, honest and certain. "When I die and become part of the Lifestream, whenever that might be, I'll find myself in my Promised Land - here in this flower field...with you."

"Cloud..." Aerith placed a hand to her chest, touched by his heartfelt words. It was as genuine and direct about his feelings as Cloud could have possibly been, but Aerith understood him perfectly.

His eyes stayed locked on hers, his blush growing deeper.

She leaned in closer to him, feeling a happiness soar through her heart that was unmatchable. She felt as if tears would flood to her eyes at any moment, "Well, not a day will go by where I won't be here waiting for you."

His lips twitched upwards, "Good."

As the two sat in content in a world that was their very own, their eyes never breaking away from one another, a sudden glow came from within Aerith. She almost appeared to be transparent as the green aura materialized around her.

She lifted her hand to her face and examined it, "The Planet is summoning me back to the Lifestream. I'm sorry, Cloud. I won't be able to stay much longer. I wonder if everything is okay?"

He shook his head and smiled, feeling a bit disappointed, but he understood. "It's okay. I should probably try and get back before sundown."

She got up after him and tried to touch his arm, but found out that she passed right through him. This only caused her to let out an annoyed sigh, but she looked up at him and smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

He smiled, "Like always. I just wish...I didn't have to wait until then."

"Hey," she tenderly leaned towards him, his eyes catching hers again as she smiled. "Wherever you see flowers bloom, you'll find me there with you."

Cloud returned her smile and nodded. He knew this was true, that she was always there wherever flowers had blossomed, but he felt she was always with him.

She smiled at him, "I'll be waiting for you tomorrow, bodyguard."

Cloud closed his eyes and smiled, not bearing to see her fade away from the flower field as it hurt his heart too much. Though, when he opened his eyes again, as he stood in the middle of the endless, open flower field, Aerith was gone.

His smile faltered for a brief moment, before he felt a warm glow fill his heart. The feeling was so palpitating, it caused the blonde soldier to lift a hand to his heart. She was with him.

He smiled and nodded, "Until tomorrow."


Night had settled throughout Edge. The streets were quieter now.

Tifa had closed the bar hours earlier and was taking the night off from work. Tifa was upstairs in her room, before she walked down the hall when she had heard the phone ring from down stairs. She quietly made her way down the wooden steps and entered back into the bar. After the fourth ring, Tifa had picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, girl! How the %$&# you doin'?!"

Tifa laughed, "Nice to hear from you to, Cid Things are just fine. How are you? What's it been? Almost four months since I've seen you already?"

"Yeah, yeah. Things ain't too shabby over in Rocket Town. Shera's about to pop the little tike out though," Cid laughed through the phone.

Tifa smiled, unknowingly curling the phone cord around her finger, "That's great! Time has really flown by, hasn't it? I am so excited for you guys."

"Yeah! Me too. The baby'll be comin' pretty soon! Cept' this little %#$& might kill me before I get the chance of being a daddy!"

"Hey! I heard that, old man!" Tifa heard Yuffie shout through the phone.

A couple months ago, Cid and Shera had let Yuffie move in with them for the time being. After the team had defeated Sephiroth years prior, Yuffie had returned to her hometown in Wutai for a short while, where she and her father had tried working things out between their relationship issues that Yuffie had told the group of.

'That didn't go too well', Tifa thought.

For some time, Yuffie and her father had been able to put up with each other, but the two ended growing weary of one another yet again and Yuffie had left Wutai on her own after she had fallen out of good terms with her father. Now without a home, Tifa had been kind enough to offer Yuffie a place to stay at the bar. The young ninja accepted and once Denzel had temporarily moved into Cloud's room, Yuffie got the spare room all to herself...but her stay wasn't very long.

She had stolen money from the register, pilfered items from the customers, caused a riot almost every night with the guests and then nearly burned down the place when she tried to make food one night.

Tifa had honestly felt bad for the teenage girl. She saw Yuffie as a good friend, but not one that she could neccessarily rely on in a time of need. When Yuffie had been bounced around from place to place, Tifa had wanted her to settle down somewhere, which is why she had offered a room to her in the first place. Though, after her antics had nearly jeopardized Tifa's business, the bartender knew that she couldn't keep up with the antics anymore.

Since that time, Yuffie had again bounced from Edge to Rocket Town, where she now lived with Cid and Shera. Quite frankly, neither Cid nor Yuffie really wanted to live with one another, as the two could barely put up with each other as it was ever since they'd met one another, but Shera had convinced her husband to take in the young girl. When Cid agreed, he did not know what he was getting himself into. The last thing Yuffie really wanted to do was shack up with a married couple, but she didn't have anywhere else to go at the time.

"Eh! Get outta here!" Cid shouted into the phone, as Tifa grimaced at the loud altercation on the other end of the line. "Anyways, I'm just callin' to tell ya that we'll be flying to Edge tomorrow for a visit. We should be there midday."

"Ok, sounds great. I'll have the place ready for you guys. We'll see you then." Tifa hung up the phone and proceeded back up the stairs.

'I better have that extinguisher prepared if Yuffie tries to cook tomorrow...'


Cloud had made his way back to the Seventh Heaven shortly after the sun had set. He parked Fenrir outside behind the bar and hopped off, quickly making his way to the entrance at the back of the bar.

He made his way up the stairs to the second level and passed by Barret and Marlene's room, stopping in his tracks when he heard the two shuffling through the belongings in the room. Cloud stopped in the doorway and looked as Marlene and Barret searched through the slightly ransacked room.

"What's going on here," Cloud asked curiously.

"Oh, Cloud!" Marlene turned back from her drawers and leaned forwards. "I'm looking for the flower you gave me! The one you got from Aerith a real long time ago!"

"Really?" Cloud asked, surprised that she still would have had it after all these years. He remembered the flower perfectly. White and yellow, the same as in Aerith's church and the flower fields. It was the first time he had seen Aerith and she was like a bright light that cut through the rest of the darkness that was Midgar.

Even after he and the other members of Avalanche were just responsible for blowing up a reactor and causing chaos through the sectors, Aerith's gentle warmth thawed Cloud's heart from the beginning. Their interaction was short and simple, and yet, Cloud stood on that street, never taking his eyes off of Aerith as she left, and a new and wonderful feeling took place in his heart - something that told him their meeting was more than just a chance encounter.

As Marlene tore through her drawer, Barret shook his head. "Marlene, are you sure you brought it with you here? That was a long time ago back when we used to live in Midgar, remember? That flower's probably not lookin' too good now...and that after all the trouble that happened in Midgar."

"No, I remember, papa!" Marlene exclaimed, "It might not be as nice looking as when Cloud gave it to me back then, but it's special! I definitely remember taking it with me when I went to live with Aunt Elmyra and when we moved here. I'm sure of it."

"Do you want me to help?" Cloud asked, also in part because he would have liked to have seen a token of his first encounter with Aerith again. He thought it had been lost over time and that it was just another memory of the past taken away.

"No, it's okay, Cloud" Marlene assured. "Besides, Denzel is looking forward to going out on the bike! He's been waiting in his room."

"Thanks," Cloud said with a simple nod. He turned down the hall, letting a smirk out when he heard Marlene complain about how he always let Denzel do 'cool stuff' while she just got to sat around and watch. He went to Denzel's door and knocked.

Denzel looked up from his bed, "Cloud, you ready?"

"Yeah, kid," Cloud nodded. "Grab your jacket. We're going out."

"Where are we going," Denzel asked curiously.

Cloud smiled, "My place. Let's mosey."

The two of them quickly and quietly made their way downstairs and out the back entrance of the Seventh Heaven. As their footprints echoed from outside, Barret turned to his adoptive daughter and smiled at her.

"What's gotten into you, Marlene?" He laughed at the girl's antics as she continued to scurry about the room.

Marlene turned around, almost as if she was offended, huffing up and placing her hands on her hips. "What do you mean, papa?"

"You never told me about keeping that flower. It seems to really be important to you," said Barret.

"It is important! It's special," explained Marlene. "I always kept it with me while you and your friends went out to protect the Planet. It reminded me of the flower lady and it made me so happy. And, I guess...I just wanted..."

Barret remained quiet as he listened to his daughter speak, his eyes softening.

"I wanted to give it to Cloud, so that...maybe he can be happy again, too," said Marlene, a hint of both hope and sadness in her eyes.

"Marlene..." Barret said, touched by his daughter's caring and thoughtful actions.

"I just wanted to do something to make Cloud a little bit happier," Marlene said with a small smile as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Barret rose to his feet and sat next to his daughter, "I'm sure it would have made him very happy - which is why we ain't gonna stop until we find it, right?"

"Right," she exclaimed with a happy nod, before she continued to scan around the room for places she hadn't searched yet.

Barret smiled down at his daughter. Even though she wasn't his biological daughter, Barret understood it was far more than just blood that made up family. Even though he'd spent some time away from her and their life together wasn't always easy, he loved his daughter more than anything. He'd choose her over anything in the world and always put her first. Seeing her so determinedly trying to make someone else happy now, he couldn't have been more proud of her than he already was.

He smirked, "You know, I might not be the best papa out there...but you're the best daughter I could have asked for."

Marlene got up from her bed. "Well, I think your the best papa in the world anyway," she said, a bit matter-of-factly.

Barret's smile thinned, "I hope so."

"Come on, let's keep looking. It's gotta be somewhere around here..."


The Turks' helicopter circled the old Shinra Headquarters building. As the moon stood above in a shrouded, dark sky, the fallen headquarters stood in the foreboding dead of night. From high above, the Turks examined the ruined sectors, the city streets, the districts that were once filled with so many impoverished people, now - it was like all life had been drained from the place.

"Damn, what a mess," Reno said under his breath. "Hard to believe this place was once so much more than it is now."

Elena scoffed, "Eh, don't get sentimental, Reno. Things change, no big deal."

Reno chuckled, "Heheh, it's not like I ever liked workin' here anyway."

"When did you ever like working at all," Elena finished.

"Point taken," Reno turned back from the front seat of the helicopter to stare at her. "Since when have you become such a spitfire?'

"Since I've been working with your lazy, drunk ass nearly every day."

"Point taken again," Reno smirked.

Elena stared down from the window of the copter, carefully trying to eye the entrance of the building as they passed. "Tseng and Reeve should be down there now. They said that the President would be meeting with us when we arrived."

"Yay," Reno said sarcastically.

"Rude, take us down if you can," Elena instructed. Rude, who had been at the helm of the copter's controls, silently nodded and shifted the copter slowly down, nearing the headquarters building.

Then, Elena's phone went off. The blonde Turk reached into her blazer and retrieved the phone, flipping it open to get a call from none other than Tseng. "Hello? We're on our way now."

A moment of silence passed between the three comrades, only the sound of the shuffling copter propeller to be heard.

"What?" Elena asked, a genuine and uncommon tone of concern in her voice. The sudden change in the blonde's voice caused Reno to turn back in question.

"What's going on," he asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll tell them. Be right there," Elena said, before shutting her phone and putting it away. The look of confusion and concern didn't seem to fade from her face.

"What was that about?" Reno asked again.

"That was Tseng," Elena said quietly. "He and Reeve were doing some recon inside the Headquarters at the President's request..."

"So?"

Elena let out a quick chuckle of frightened astonishment. "From what they told me, it seems like someone snuck into the Shinra Research and Scientific Development Department..."

Reno smirked, "Well, good thing loony Hojo isn't around anymore to see this or his already loose screws would only get looser."

"That's the thing, though," Elena said. "We know Hojo had kept many experiments and secrets hidden inside his labs. He rarely let anyone in there. Hell, none of us have ever been inside for that matter."

"What are you getting at," Reno asked.

"I don't know how it happened, but..." Elena continued, a hint of fear in her eyes, "...someone managed to get inside his labs, even when they were sealed years ago after his demise."

"Seriously," Reno said, feeling a chill trickle along his spine.

"It gets worse," she warned. "Those 'secret experiments' Hojo had been working on, those monsters that he'd mutilated and researched and used for his sick projects, they've...escaped."

Reno turned back to her, the same sort of fear in his eyes, too, now. "They fought their way out?"

"No. Someone or something released them," Elena said. "From what Tseng examined, there were no traces of the monster's fighting their way out, but their confinements were...unlocked."

"Creepy," Reno seemed at a loss of words. "How could something have made its' way up into that part of the building anyway? I know security's not as top notch as it was back in the day, but still."

"That's not what's concerning me," Elena said, worried. "If something made its' way into the building and really did release those other creatures out into the world, it would have to know the Shinra Headquarters well enough. It would have had to have been here before..."

Reno's eyes squinted, deep in thought.

"I have a feeling that whatever might be inside there is stronger than your average monster..."

As the helicopter lowered closer down towards the plate at the base of the Shinra Headquarters, far beneath the layered metal and pillar supports, a motorcycle raced through the sectors of Midgar.


As the motorcycle raced through the quiet, abandoned evening streets of Midgar, Cloud looked over his shoulder and smirked at the excitement in Denzel's face. It was moments like this where the two would go off on their own and spend time together. They understood one another on a different level that anyone else could; they saw a lot of themselves within one another and a deep care had formed between two.

To Denzel, Cloud was like an older brother, a guardian, someone that would always protect him. He thought Cloud as someone cool, a person that inspired him and someone to look up to.

The motorcycle carried the two through the streets that were cluttered with heaps of debris and discarded belongings amidst the junk that seemed to be consistently piled within the slums of Midgar. It wasn't long before the slums gave way to the beautiful church that stood at the far end of the sector. Roving along the dirt path that led to the large ancient doors of the sanctuary, Cloud skid his motorcycle to a stop, just a short distance outside of the church. Once parked, he stepped off the motorcycle along with Denzel.

"We're here. My place," Cloud said to him. "Remember our first time here?"

"Yeah, this is the exact spot where you found me when I was sick," said Denzel.

"Mhm," Cloud quietly acknowledged, before stepping up to the large doors of the church. Pushing the wooden door open just slightly, he peered inside and like always, the flowers blooming on the altar of the church were beautiful and radiant, just as they were on the day he had fallen into Aerith's life. Parts of the flower bed were still seeped in puddles of the healing waters that cured people of their Geostigma.

"The flowers are growing really nicely," Denzel smiled. "I bet Aerith would be really happy."

Cloud smiled down at the younger boy. Over the many months they had grown close, Cloud had told him endless stories of his time with the flower girl. He didn't think there was a moment that they had together that Denzel didn't know about. Denzel would sit, quietly listening to the blonde talk more than he ever would usually. In return, Cloud felt a sense of content in his heart when Denzel would speak of Aerith, as if the young boy had always known her. Cloud truly felt that there was a deep connection between him, Denzel and Aerith.

Cloud gave Denzel a pat on the head and then directed him over to the wooden bench that sat opposite of the entrance to the church. Denzel followed him in turn. "You know, kid. When I found you out here, outside the church, I couldn't really understand it, but I just knew that it was Aerith that drew us to find one another."

Denzel nodded, "Yeah, I was sick and couldn't take care of myself after living on the streets for so long."

Cloud continued, "After me and the others stopped meteor, we tried to move on with our lives, but I couldn't, not without Aerith. Losing her hurt more than anything I'd ever felt before. Even when there was so much to celebrate with saving the world, I couldn't knowing that she wasn't there by my side when she should have been."

Denzel remained quiet as he listened to Cloud speak. It was one of those moments where Cloud's thoughts and emotions rarely came from within him and he needed to get it out.

"I was lost for so long, traveling through the sadness and the pain. Even when I had my friends, there were just things they couldn't all understand," said Cloud. "Losing her was like losing a part of myself. I'd spent hours here at this church alone, calling out to her for an answer for what my purpose was to still be living..."

"Cloud..." said Denzel.

"I didn't want to be living anymore. I'd walk through these streets alone and without her, I felt lost and maybe...a part of me still feels that way," Cloud crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "But then one day, I was here and I found you. I understood then. Aerith wasn't just making us meet because we needed each other, she was giving me a new reason to live - so that I could take care of you, kid."

Denzel smiled, "And you do a good job at it, Cloud."

Cloud smiled and looked ahead at the church. "I'm doing it all for you and her, us. I can hear her voice so clearly now. Even when our words don't always reach, I still feel her and...it's like I'm finding a part of myself I lost."

Denzel nodded.

Cloud sighed, "I don't know what lies ahead for me, I'm still finding my way, but it'll be easier knowing she's with me."

"I'm sorry about everything, Cloud," Denzel said after a long sigh. "But everything'll work out, right? I mean, you don't need to know everything life's gonna throw at you."

"You're right," Cloud nodded. "I guess we all have to continue on by living our lives in whatever way gets us through it. Denzel, from where I am now, my life has never been easy. I never had a father, I was left as an outcast in my own hometown, I never achieved the goals I had since I was your age, I've failed people in ways I could never make up for...I've lost the person I..." he stopped and closed his eyes. Cloud shook his head, feeling the pain in his heart renew. "Many others might consider my story a failure up to this point and maybe they're right. I think back to the beginning before all of this and remember a time when I only cared about money and couldn't care less about the planet. That's the past Cloud I want to forget."

"But you've changed since then," Denzel interjected.

"I know. I owe that to Aerith, too. That's why I need to keep moving forward...for the both of us." Cloud turned to Denzel, "I want to start a new story...a second chance to become the person I want to be. I might not end up as a 'hero', but I'll try to be a better person than I was before."

"You already are," Denzel laughed.

"I hope so, kid." Cloud sighed, "I don't know where this new story will take me, but I do know that it will end where I want it to be - my Promised Land."

Denzel smiled up at Cloud. Silently, the two rose from the bench and made their way back towards the motorcycle.

The blonde stopped in his place and let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes and lowering his head to the ground. When he opened his eyes again, they widened.

There, in a puddle formed within the earth, was a single, dried yellow and white flower.

He gently lowered himself and picked up the carnation by its' delicate stem, handling it as if the slightest touch would ruin it. To his amazement, as he lifted it to his face, the dried flower petals flourished, the faded colors of the petals renewed - the flower fully blossomed beautifully, looking exactly as it was the day it was handed to him.

It was the flower he had purchased from Aerith on the winter night so long ago at the start of his journey to save the world.

The rim of his eyes watered as a smile formed on his lips. He looked around him then, as if sensing her presence there with him. As he looked to the church, he swore he saw here there, between the thin opening of the doors, tending to her flowers just like she always had. It was a brief moment, but it was certain, she was there, she looked up from her flower bed, before smiling up at him.

"Cloud, are you coming?"

Cloud turned from the church and looked back at Denzel, "Y-yeah. Be right there."

Before he turned, Cloud thought back to what Aerith had told him earlier that day.

"Wherever you see flowers bloom, you'll find me there with you."

He stared looking at the church, his place, for just a moment longer, a gentle smile appearing on his face when he felt the warmth in his heart which he knew could only come from her.

"Hey. What's that," Denzel asked, pointing to the flower in Cloud's hand.

Cloud closed his eyes and smiled.

"It's the start of my new story."