Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or any of its characters all rights belong to Square Enix. I only own this story.

So that's it for my first fanfic, hurray. I'm not english so if there are mistakes I apologize but anyways is not that bad is it? So about the story, it takes place after Advent Children, so if you haven't seen it go and and watch it, it's pretty awesome. I've decided to do the story in parts so enjoy and review if you like.

Part 1

He's there. Again. Sleeping silently on a flower bed in a church in Sector 5, Midgar. There was no sound around, not even the sound of birds chirping. 'He' was Cloud, Ex-Soldier and Hero, even though he didn't give much thought about the title 'Hero'. He just did what he felt right to do and the person who really saved the world was 'she'. He still dreams about her and sometimes remembers many memories of their travels. Nobody really forgot her. They all think about her now and then but Cloud thought of her every day. He always came here when he felt lost or when he felt that something was missing, no, not something but someone. He got lucky this time, the children that care about the flowers every day since she left weren't there so he got his little space to sleep. Falling asleep with this flower perfume and thinking of her and how she smelled like these flowers was the best thing life could offer to him now, that's what he thought after…

"Hey, you're here again", called suddenly a soft voice. As soon as he heard this he quickly sat up in a meditation pose and his lips formed into a large smile.

"Aerith!" upon hearing her name being literally shouted, Aerith giggled.

"You don't need to shout, I can still hear as good as before you know", she said with a smile.

"Yeah, sorry", he apologized while scratching his head.

This was the best thing that happened to him since the day of the fight to save the world finished. It was some kind of a secret that Cloud kept to himself. The first time she appeared in front of him was a few weeks after he saw her disappearing in a bright light with Zack. He went to the church and the next thing he knew, she appeared out of nowhere right in front of him. At first he thought that she was an illusion he created but after a while he didn't care if it was or not an illusion, after all, what really mattered was the fact that he could see her again.

She kept saying that she was real but different. She was indeed different. She couldn't touch or feel things anymore and she could fly all over the place if she wanted to. Even when one day a cat appeared at the church when they were talking and Aerith tried to stroke it. The cat didn't feel afraid and he was looking right in her eyes. There, Cloud knew she was not imaginary but he felt sad about the fact that Aerith couldn't stroke the cat. It looked like she really wanted to. People would call her a "ghost". For Cloud she wasn't a ghost, he thought of her as a "miracle".

"Are you okay? You didn't fight with Tifa did you?" she frowned.

"No, why should I even fight with her? People always tend to ask that and I don't know why." Wrong. He knew exactly why.

"I'm sorry; I didn't want to say anything that would upset you." Her sight lowered to the floor; Cloud could tell she was feeling guilty for having asked the question that angers him the most.

"Aerith, you don't have to apologize. I could never be angry with you. Today I came here because I needed to see you. I feel fine, really." Cloud gave her a soft smile and she became all cheery again. One thing was clear, Cloud never smiled to anyone but Aerith wasn't just anyone, she was special and the smiles he gives are all for her and just for her. They talked all day long until it became dawn.

"Well, I think it's time to go." Aerith turned around ready to make her leave to the light but Cloud stopped her.

"Aerith! Next time you have to come back again."

"Funny. Every time you say that I remember how I used to ask Zack if we would see each other again."Yeah…but he never came right? You told me that story one time and that's why I'll always say to you to come back. I would be really sad if I was waiting here for you and you would never come." Aerith suddenly widened her eyes. She thought about that rainy day and the pain she felt that something wasn't right. She cried for weeks when she knew that Zack wouldn't come back. Aside from that, she felt happy about these words.

"Cloud, don't worry. I'll come back, like always right?"

"I hope so" Cloud smiled in return and Aerith turned back to the light. It felt like it was waiting for her. Cloud always wondered where the light would lead to but every time he asked Aerith about it she answered with a "that's a secret". Well it could be heaven or some other place like that but it couldn't possibly be hell that was for sure.

"I guess I'll never know 'till I die." He quickly stood up and shook his head. "Hey, why am I thinking about dying already? Suddenly he realized that he was stepping on a flower. Slowly he lifted his right boot to pick it. Even though he was sitting on it this whole time, the flower still looked perfectly fine. "She was right, these flowers are pretty tough."

As he was about to leave the church he gave a last glance to the flower bed and thought a last time about his "miracle" before going home.

His home or "the secret basis" how Barret liked to call it was at Tifa's bar or should we say was right above it? Well believe it or not, Barret worked hard to add two new floors to the bar. His idea? Well he wanted to live with everyone that participated on their journey to live like a family. At first everyone accepted it but soon after they started to grew apart from each other and eventually left to pursue their own lives.

Now there was only Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Marlene who were still living there. Oh, but sometimes Cid would stop by and sleep there every time he fought with Shera or was completely drunk and couldn't go home. Actually he could go home but Cloud wouldn't accept to drive him back with his motorbike, no one knows why and Cloud won't say it but when Cid gets drunk he takes Cloud for a Chocobo. There was a story about Cid totally drunk riding on top of Cloud and since then Cloud avoids Cid when he sees him drinking at the bar by locking himself in his room. And did you know? Cid actually married Shera.

Cloud entered the bar and the first thing that popped into his head was he lying down in his bed and rest. He wasn't sleepy but really exhausted even though he didn't do a thing. It was probably because he lost all his energy when he was talking to Aerith. A small smile started to form at the minute he thought of her. But the thought broke as soon as he heard a voice calling him. He turned around and saw his childhood friend: Tifa.

"Tifa?" She crossed her arms to her chest and narrowed her eyes. "Are you already going to sleep? I haven't seen you all day."

"Sorry Tifa, some work came up and I had to go" Lie. Yes, he lied. He didn't like to but he had to in order to keep his secret, which he wanted to keep to himself.

"Hmmm… I'll forgive you this time but just if you go on a date with me." Tifa laughed while Cloud frowned. She suddenly noticed that look on his face. "Oh come on! Cloud, I was joking." His shoulders relaxed and he sighed slowly. "Oh, before I forget, I just wanted to tell that Barret has been looking for you, he's in the ca- no in the "secret basis"." "He still doesn't like to call it a cave does he?" The two of them laughed and Tifa barely got surprised by the sudden laugh that Cloud gave out. He almost or never laughed like that. Well, it must be one of those "special days" when he comes home all happy, she thought.

"So anything else before I go to Barret?" Cloud was waiting by the stairs that led downstairs; the pinball machine that was used to go there was broken because of a "drunk guy" that thought the machine would attack him. This drunken guy was Cid (like always).

"Nope, nothing. Go ahead." She smiled at him and watched as he went downstairs. She was looking at a man whom she loved more than anything but he would never feel more than friendship for her. She knew that all along but she still continues loving him. Loving him is what gives her a meaning to live. She just needed him to be beside her even if he would never touch her for the rest of her life. A single tear flow down her cheek. Still, she thought, I can't continue hiding my feelings forever, even if I know what the outcome will be but I have to.

The moment Cloud stepped in the "secret basis"; Barret gave out a loud shout. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YA DOIN'? I WAS LOOKIN' FOR YA EVERWHERE!" The shout was so loud that Cloud nearly went deaf for a second. "Just stop to complain like a girlfriend and tell me what you want." Upon hearing the word "girlfriend" Barret was about to snap out but he got a better idea.

"Heh, Tifa wouldn't like to hear you calling me "girlfriend" ". He gave out a little smirk while he was pronouncing the word "girlfriend". Now it was Cloud's turn to be angry. "Why is everybody saying that? Tifa will not be happy, Tifa wouldn't like that, Tifa will be sad, Tifa this and Tifa that. I've had enough. She isn't my girlfriend and I can't do anything about her being sad or happy. It isn't my fault if she feels any of this and I don't like to hear these things. She's just a friend and if you have any more comments like these than keep it to yourself." Cloud turned his back to Barret and crossed his arms. He had to tell the truth even if it would seem mean. He cared about Tifa but as a friend and that's all.

Barret looked confused and looked down to his boots. "So, ya still like her right? It's too bad she's gon' so soon, we had so many things planned." Cloud turned to face Barret but he saw that he had a sad look on his face. Cloud knew that he liked her, everyone liked her. She was a person that would be impossible to be hated, she was like an Angel. Now she was Cloud's little miracle. There were times where he really wanted to tell everything to everyone but then she wouldn't be HIS miracle. She would be everyone's miracle and he never liked that idea. It was kind of selfish but that's just how far his feelings went.

"Ya know, if she was still here, I know exactly what I'll do. I would invite her to come live here with us and she would be just like Marlene's sister." A small smile escaped on Cloud's lips. "Yeah, she would do a great job."

"So talkin' about that, are ya still goin' to the meetin' on Saturday? It's the day she …" The meeting. Every year, on the day Aerith was killed, the entire group that fought against Sephiroth, went to the place of her funeral and prayed. No one had ever forgotten to come. That just showed how much they missed her and still thought about her.

"I always come right?" Barret nodded. "Good, you better go now, I feel like you're goin' to fall asleep any moment." He was right. Now he was more tired than before. He said goodbye to Barret and went upstairs to his room. He locked the door behind him and got ready to go to bed.