"You should meet him."

"Why so I can pick a fight with your ex-boyfriend? No thanks."

"Please, he's a really sweet and nice person. I'm sure you two will get along."

"If he is so sweet and nice than why aren't you with him?"

"I want to be with you silly." The girl giggled.

"… Maybe…"

"Thanks Cloud! I love you!" Aerith leaned in to give her new boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek and then ran out of the living room.

"I said maybe…" Cloud grumbled.

"Maybe means yes!" Aerith said poking her head back into the living room. "Cloud where did you put the milk I can't find any for my cereal!" Aerith yelled from the kitchen.

"It's all gone," Cloud said bluntly. "That reminds me, you don't mind picking some up after work do you?"

"No I don't mind. Why where are you headed today?" Aerith walked back into the living to sit down beside Cloud on the couch.

"I'm just going to run over to the bar to see how Yuffie's holding up. We still haven't heard anything from Tifa yet, only Barret really knows of her whereabouts but even she isn't talking to him."

"Poor girl." Aerith felt slightly guilty.

"Well she had to go otherwise there wouldn't be us." Cloud stated.

"You don't have to be so heartless."

"I'm not; I'm just giving her space. She just needs time to sort out everything and to recover. I'm sure she's doing fine."

"I don't think so. I know how girls are, I'm one of them. Cloud she was in love with you, she's obviously not doing fine. I want to visit her and see how she is."

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not, I thought we were going to visit Zack too."

"Can you stop talking about Zack please and what's so great about him?"

"He's pretty handsome, tall, broad shoulder spikey black hair. Hehe, what's not to love?" Aerith giggled to herself probably reminiscing about her time with him.

"It sounds like someone's still in love with their ex-boyfriend."

"I'm not, it's just I recently saw him and all."

"How'd you see him?"

"I was selling flowers and he bought some."

"Why would he buy flowers?"

"I don't know, maybe for a girl?" Aerith shrugged.

"Does he happen to know Tifa…?" Cloud asked suspiciously.

"I'm not sure. He seemed like he was in a rush the day he bought flowers though."

"Whatever it doesn't concern me." Cloud lay back on the couch.

"I'm going to work now, say hi to Yuffie for me."

"Sure thing." Cloud leaned over and kissed Aerith on the lips before she got up to leave through the front door. Deliveries have been slow lately; there were not many customers so he had a lot of spare time. He was hoping for spare time with Aerith but she was always busy at work. He had insisted that she take some days off but she said that there were people who 'needed' her flowers and then she'd be off with a smile.

Aerith

"Milk, milk, milk, milk." Aerith hummed to herself over and over while she was walking through the grocery store towards the dairy section.

"Mom, why is that lady singing the word milk?" A little boy pointed at Aerith.

"Because she's sick in the head, don't point or stare at people with disabilities, it's rude." The mother proceeded to pull the boy far away from Aerith.

Stopping dead in her tracks she spotted a particular spikey haired cutie. She immediately ran over to him after recovering from her shock.

What a coincidence I was just talking about you this morning to Cloud.

"We meet again Mr. Fair." Aerith tapped him lightly on the shoulder with her index finger. Zack turned around to see an unexpected face.

"Whoa, you again huh?"

"It's good to see you too." Aerith said ignoring his comment.

"Hey Aerith, it's good to see you too even though it wasn't that long ago since I last saw you."

"We don't see each other enough."

"That's because we're not dating."

"Are you saying that I'd get to see you more often if we were dating?"

"Yes."

"There might be slight prob-"

"I'll pass." Zack cut Aerith off.

"O-kay. Anyways what are you doing here?"

"Just grocery shopping, same as every other person who walks through that front door."

"Zack Fair grocery shops?" Aerith laughed, "Since when do you cook?"

"It's not for me."

"It's for your girlfriend than?"

"Not really."

"What do you mean not really?"

"It means she's my potential girlfriend."

"What's her name? Can I meet her?"

"Tifa and I don't think that's such a good idea." Zack felt good to saying Tifa's name in front of another girl especially one that was his ex.

"Why is everyone saying that to me today?" Aerith pouted.

"Not sure what you mean but okay I'll take your word for it."

"Wait Tifa? Wasn't she Cloud's girlfriend?" Aerith thought to herself aloud.

"Well you should know, you and Cloud kind of broke her into a million pieces."

"It wasn't personal or anything…"

"It doesn't matter, I really do understand it now Aerith." Zack's face hardened. "You broke up with me for Cloud, I get it now. And I don't hold it against you – that much. I don't care that you hurt me. I care that you hurt Tifa."

"Zack, I already said that I'm sorry."

"Yeah to me, not Tifa. And she doesn't need your apology anyways so it doesn't matter."

"Is there anything I can do?" Aerith insisted urgency showing on her face.

"Do Tifa and me a favour. It will be the first and last favour you ever have to do for us."

"Anything, what is it?" Aerith asked sincerely.

"Stay away from us. Goodbye Aerith, I really do hope that things go well for you and Cloud."

Aerith watched as Zack turned his back on her and walked away.

It's just like before, except this time it's opposite they both thought

This time it's Zack that's walking away from me and I'm the one that's left standing here unhappy.

I'm walking away this time and it's you that's going to be left there standing alone and unhappy.

"Grocery shopping is relaxing my ass…" Zack grumbled to himself.

Cloud

"Yuffie, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm washing the dishes."

"No you aren't you're making a big mess. Do it the way Tifa would have."

"I'm not Tifa!"

"I don't care do a better job."

"I don't see you trying to run this place."

"I don't have to."

"And neither do I Cloud, but I'm Tifa's friend so I'm going to do my best do try and help her as much as I can."

"You aren't helping anyone Yuffie."

"Fine, if I'm doing such a bad job than you do it," Yuffie gave Cloud a look before walking past him. "I'm telling Barret!" Cloud listened as her footsteps patted against the floor and waited for the door's bell to ring as she ran through the front.

"What have I gotten myself into…?"

"Hello there."

"Hey, what can I get you?" Cloud asked not turning around.

"How about… you?" The girl giggled.

"Aerith," Cloud's face broke into a smile, he turned around to face his girlfriend who was standing there with her hands behind her back. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to see how the place was. It seems pretty… empty for a bar."

"That's because Yuffie must have scared everyone off. But don't worry I'll fix this place up." Cloud and Aerith took a seat on the stools. Aerith was holding her breath not really wanting to tell Cloud about her encounter with Zack.

"Cloud guess who I saw at the grocery store?"

"I don't like guessing you can just tell me."

"It was Zack."

"What about Zack?"

"He was umm well buying food and stuff."

"That's great." Cloud said sarcastically.

"Well, it wasn't for him you see…"

"Then who was it for?" Cloud was getting agitated.

"It was for… a girl… someone you know."

"You?"

"No… it's for…"

"Tifa…" Cloud finished for her.

"Yeah… I think she's with him."

"Huh, I'm surprised he wasn't shopping for condoms."

"Cloud!" Aerith hit his shoulder, "Don't say that this is serious. Tifa's really heartbroken."

"That's not what it seems like, it seems like she's got herself a new man. That was quick…"

"Hey you shouldn't be saying anything." Aerith looked down at her hands feeling uncomfortable and guilty at the same time.

"It was different."

"How so?" Aerith asked with pleading eyes. "It's not different, Tifa isn't even with Zack he told me that. They are not even dating, he's just buying her groceries. We can't jump to conclusions or anything. Thinking negative thoughts about her is wrong. Plus, when people are heartbroken it's hard to not accept help from the first person who offers it. I don't think you've ever thought about how hurt she must be."

"I did, she's one of my closest friends of course I've considered how she felt. It just can't be helped. The difference is Aerith, that I love you. I didn't love Tifa, being with her would just lead her on and in the end she wouldn't be happy, I wouldn't be happy and neither would you. Does it even matter about her anymore? Let's think about us for a change."

"Right now Cloud… us seems kind of… wrong. I can't help but feel guilty. TIfa's heartbroken who knows what could have happened to her."

"You mean besides Zack raping her?"

"Cloud! Zack wouldn't do that!" Aerith pushed his shoulder again this time a little harder.

"Why do you keep defending him? Don't tell me you're starting to have feelings for him again."

"If you're going to keep this heartless act up than I just might!"

"Sorry to say Aerith, but it looks like the only one that's heartless is you," Cloud waited for Aerith to respond but she said nothing so he continued, "Saying that you might get back with Zack, that's pretty low. First you steal me from her and now you're going to steal Zack her last resort? That's a pretty bold thing to do. I've got to hand it to you."

"I… didn't mean it that way…," Aerith could feel her heart beating faster and her vision getting blurry. "I'm sorry!" Aerith got up from her seat and ran out the front door.

"That's the second girl to run away from me today…" Cloud rubbed his temples and tried to clear his mind.