Just want everyone to know that unfortunately neither Cloud or any other wonderful charatcers from Final Fantasy VII belong to me no matter much I wish they did.

Chapter 10: Second Chance

The world is spinning around me and I'm not entirely sure that I'm driving straight any more. My eye lids threaten my consciousness with their weight and I struggle to keep my head up.

"I have to stay awake," I scold myself, "I have to make it to the church..."

I can't fail again...

I shake my weary head feeling my hair lightly shift from the force. The sky around me has become dark; although night seems far off the clouds block the sun and warn of a storm soon to come. The cold drops fall, landing softly on my skin as the downpour begins slowly.

My body is trembling, shaking so hard that I can't control myself. My lungs begin to tighten and I can feel myself struggling to breathe. Choking, amounts of warm dark liquid make their way up my throat and the bitter metallic taste fills my mouth before the liquid passes my shivering lips.

"Just a bit further..." I tell myself trying to keep myself awake against the unending fatigue plaguing my body.

Please, please don't let this be for nothing...

My vision starts to darken and fade away as tears form in my tired eyes, "I can't stop here... I have to keep going."

I beg myself, mind arguing body and the world continues to fade slowly. In the distance I can see it, my run down sanctuary her sanctuary.

Just a little further...

I pull the bike up to the entrance; doors broken and decaying seemed centuries old as they sit forever guarding this holy place. Turning the keys into the off position I slowly attempted my careful descent from the vehicle only to fall completely down once I realized how much strength I had lost.

"Damn..." I curse softly hating my current weak state although with me it always seemed like I was weak in some way or another. My mind was always weak, even when I was little I always had a weak mind and I was always smaller and pathetically weak compared to everyone I knew. I was lucky when my mind was the only weak part of me; it meant that I was getting stronger on the outside and that I could protect the people around me.

Too bad I was wrong... I never really could protect anyone in the end...

"I'm almost there..." I said quietly as I pulled myself refusing to succumb to the exhaustion and pain coursing through my body. Unsteadily I stand, my knees shaking slightly as I step forward towards the cherished building.

I'm almost there...

As I reach the door I lean myself against its cold wooden frame; I look through lazy eyes into the faintly lit room before me. Lilies, the flowers I had seen so many times in my life and their presence always held a magnificent power over me. Softly, the scent of the flowers seemed to caress my mind and over power my thoughts; they brought tranquility over me that washed away my pain, both physical and mental.

"I'm here..." I whisper quietly almost disbelieving my own words and my lips for a timid smile at the realization that I had in fact made it.

Now nothing can get in my way... I can finally go to her...

My smile widened at the thought while exhaustion still tormented my body and I fought with the constantly descending darkness that persistently increased. After how far I had come I would not give up now and this time I would not fail. Carefully I used the ruined pews scattered around me for support as I neared the bed of radiance the flowers had created before me. Smiling still, truly, a smile so genuine and filled with a happiness I had never felt before; a smile so pure unlike the fake smirk I had grown accustomed to over the years. For once I was not ashamed, and for once I actually felt like it was okay to smile.

My happiness is a blissful one, not for myself but for the ones around me. People I had hurt could now heal; free of my wretched existence they could move on and be happy. Everyone could go on free, not constantly waiting to be hurt by me and they would be able to create new lives to forget the past I destroyed for them. Most of all I find myself at peace knowing that you are willing to trade my pitiful life for an eternity trying to make you happy; ever since I met you my one wish was to make you happy and I only hope that it isn't too late for me to try.

"I'm coming to you Aeris... Please give me this chance... Please..." I begged quietly through my on coming hysteria while trying to suppress everything screaming in my mind. My thoughts were becoming too much and even the charm the flowers held over me couldn't contain them.

This church had been so many things to me in the past, it had been a home, a sanctuary where I could always come when my mind threatened to crumble, and it was always a hope. I hope I held ever since you left me that you were still there somewhere, waiting, silently watching me and that one day I would see you again. Now, it will only be one thing to me; the road where this life will end and my eternity will begin, this will be the place that I leave this world forever and it will be the place where I finally get to see your beautiful smile and breath-taking eyes once again.

Ever since you left this world I came here every day and I tried so hard to take care of your flowers and protect your memory but I know that I could never thing right. I'm sorry that I couldn't do as good of a job as you; I never was good at taking care of beautiful things...

So beaten and destroyed, the colourful remains of glass that had once filtered incoming light lacing it with its magnificent shades now lay scattered on the floor no longer spreading their warmth. Shards of the vibrant glass are spread out in various places of the old church although they seem to be concentrated mostly around the flowers; the fragments sit constantly reflecting the light sending small dots of reds and yellows upon the walls around me. Pieces of all shapes and sizes are sitting carelessly in front of me and only one catches my eye.

Beautiful shades of pink and red surround the head of a woman; her delicate chestnut hair flowing out behind her in contrast to the pastel coloured petal floating around her. Sleeping it seems, time stands still around her angelic form and slowly pick up the section caressing the large fragment, I smile;

Thank you...

She is waiting for me, I have to go to her, to where I am needed; I can't waste any more time. Tears begin to stain my cheeks as I kneel slowly in the soft bed of lilies and I look up still holding the glass firmly to my body. Through the hole above me I can see the clouds still lingering in the dark sky, threatening to pour down on me. Tears, still streaming contradict the passionate smile resting on my fearless lips.

"I'm coming..."

Finally, I will get to see your smile... Finally you can be happy...

I close my eyes as the rain slowly began and the small droplets fell upon my cool skin; this time it was different from the cold unforgiving rain I felt before. As each drop touched my flesh I felt their warmth reaching deep within me and my own tears became unrecognizable as they merged with the tears from the sky. Softly the tears that fell from the sky began to warm me from the deepest depths of my soul to the outer most point of my hair.

Calmly, with steady hands I pulled the shard away from my body and placed its point directly above my heart. My tiny decaying black heart was of no more use to this world or to myself. I laughed at the thought of my insignificant cold heart; if it was so dark and frigid then why did I care so much that it killed me inside? Maybe one day I could have found the answer, however I no longer have that chance; here is where my life ends and where my cold black heart dies.

Without further thought or distraction I pull the jagged blade towards me forcing the sharp edge to pierce deep into my flesh. Sinking further into my body my skin burns as the blade easily penetrates the soft barrier and slowly tears into my heart. I can feel my heart beat through the glass as it begins to race and I feel my blood steadily pumping out of me. I try to keep my voice low but the pain is too much and I can hear myself screaming through it all.

"Please! Please don't leave me here!" I scream with my last defeated breath as the last of my energy drains from my body and I collapse into the flowers. I can still feel my heart beating against the glass lodged deep within it as it slows severely and the darkness closes in around me with incredible speed.

Please... don't let me die for nothing...

The faint beating slowly faded until I could no longer feel even the slightest movement; my lungs refused use and the world became black around me. The only thing that would not fade from my dying senses was the divine fragrance of the lilies the lay under me; even as the world was black and my conscious was lost I could still somehow smell the flowers.

Enjoy...