Love, Aerith

Chapter 10: Strength

Hold on just a little while longer.

"Ok, so what now?" Zack asked as they walked with Kunsel through a door that led to a seemingly endless staircase.

"You have to climb these stairs up until you reach the 63th floor. That's where the labs are." Kunsel answered.

"63th?" Zack's eyes widened but then he smirked and started squatting up and down a few times. "No problem!"

"You haven't changed a bit." Kunsel shook his head. "I'm going to see what I can do to those security cameras they have here on some of the floors you go through… Just give me ten minutes and then you can start climbing up." And with that, he disappeared through the door to leave the two ex-SOLDIERS to their thoughts. They kept silent for the first few seconds, they could only hear the sound of Zack's heavy breathing as he squatted up and down.

"Zack?" For a change, Cloud was the first one breaking the silence. Startled, Zack stopped what he was doing and turned his attention to the blond man. "Thank you, for doing this."

"You know I'm doing it for her." Zack leaned against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. "I can't say how long it'll take me to forgive you."

"I know." Cloud looked away.

"But I guess I have to admit it… You really have to be something for her to choose you after me." Zack smirked, but what he really felt was that if she had to be with someone other than him, Cloud was the best man he knew of. Of course, he wouldn't tell Cloud that.

"She didn't exactly choose me yet." Cloud said, his gaze still locked on the floor.

"After all of this is over, we'll see." Zack said. "Until then we shouldn't be talking about Aerith like this. I mean, what do we know, she might end up choosing none of us!" Zack let out a clear laugh. But deep down they knew that it would probably be for the best if she did.

"Do you still… love her?" Cloud asked at last, he swallowed hard and waited for the answer already knowing what it would be. He had been choking on that question for a while now but he finally decided to ask him, he had to really know. He felt a knot in his throat as he looked at the man who had once been his best friend, knowing that his answer would hurt both of them.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't." Zack said, his expression serious now. "All the time I spent on that bed recovering, I thought about her, I dreamed of being with her and I kept hearing her voice telling me to be strong. So yeah… I'm sorry man, I haven't forgotten her."

"You don't have to apologize…" Cloud said. "I understand. I just wish things would have been different. I should have walked away the minute I knew who she was."

"And I should have never gone on that mission." Zack laughed at his own misfortune. "You know what's funny… It was going to be my last one. After that I was going to quit, spend all the time I could with her, travel, you know… live."He let out a tired sigh. "I risked too much going, I risked everything. But I guess I can't really blame you when it was my own fault."

"You couldn't have known that would happen!" Cloud looked at the black-haired man in awe. He couldn't help but wonder why he was saying that.

"I was blind Cloud! I wanted adventure, and I was addicted to being the best, you knew me! As long as I was working I was happy." Zack's eyes met Cloud's.

When Aerith opened her eyes there was a bright white light pointing straight at her. Two dark silhouettes she couldn't clearly make out stared down at her and the next thing she felt was the rough skin of two fingers caressing her cheek. Her first impulse was to sharply turn her head, but she refrained because she knew who that hand belonged to. There was a delightful laugh and then another hand touching her hair. If her arms and legs were free from the tight straps around her wrists and ankles she would have fought hard to get up from that hospital bed she was laying on once again.

"This might hurt just a little bit my dear but you see… I was very curious to know how these cells would react inside your Cetra body." She felt someone's warm breath whispering on her ear. She recognized that voice from the man that was keeping her there, Professor Hojo, as he was called. That sarcastic voice she came to hate.

The next thing she knew she was feeling a pain she had never felt before in her life. It felt like they were injecting fire straight into her veins. Her blood boiled as if acid was slowly sliding inside her body, she couldn't breathe from the pain and she could feel her limbs contort in agony. Aerith screamed wishing she was dead.

"Did you hear that?" Cloud asked, paying close attention to the sounds around them.

"No… What was it?" Zack asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Like… someone screaming…" Cloud's eyes widened in horror. "Aerith!" And he took two steps forward in advance to the stairs when Zack's strong hand wrapped around his arm.

"The ten minutes aren't up yet," Zack said holding the blond man. "There's a lot going on inside this building, we don't know if it was Aerith. We should wait until we make sure Kunsel has had time to clear the floors for us. We can't spoil things now."

"If something happens to her…" Zack felt Cloud's arm shaking with rage as he held his arm. "Zack we need to go." he said between gritted teeth while his hands closed tightly into fists.

"Five minutes left!" Zack insisted. "Trust me." Cloud stared into Zack's eyes for a moment, they looked so worried, so willing to climb up those stairs and kill every living thing that was related to Hojo. He wanted it just as bad, but he knew Zack was right. They couldn't act on impulse, they had a plan and they needed to stick with it or else it would all be in vain. Cloud's heart slowed down from the frantic beating that had started inside his chest and he breathed in heavily to calm his senses.

"Zack… we're getting our revenge today. For all he has made us go through, for Aerith." Cloud said, his voice a shaking threat. "I don't care what happens to me as long as I can kill Hojo and Aerith is safe.

"What are you saying?" Zack asked apprehensively, his hand slowly let go of his arm after he was certain Cloud would not leave.

"I'm saying that… Whatever happens to me, you make sure Aerith is safe. Don't do anything stupid or go back for me; just get her out of here," Cloud said in determination.

"Come on man! What are talking about? You're not letting your mentor down are you? We're getting out of this hell hole with Aeirth. Both of us, safe and sound." Zack nodded once reassuringly. "Right?"

Cloud nodded back but his heart didn't rest. At least he had told Zack about his intentions, if anything were to happen to him he knew he could count on him despite every promise he could make him right now.

"Ten minutes." Zack said at last after a couple more minutes went by. "Let's go." And with that, both men started climbing up the stairs with only one thought in their heads, Aerith.

When Hojo's men carried Aerith back to her cell she was barely conscious. The pain left her body numb and tingling. She felt like throwing up, but when she reached for the mattress on the floor she was able to control the nausea. She lay there curled up and hugging her legs. Facing the wall, she let the tears fall down and soak the fabric.

She heard Red's smooth voice say, "I'm sorry…" It was full of sorrow and regret for being unable to help her before they took her.

"Don't worry about me Red…" she mumbled, hoping he could hear her. The only thought that calmed her down was that she wasn't going to be able to last to those treatments much longer and the thought of letting go at last, was easing her mind. Soon, there would be no more pain and her body would be free. It was a selfish feeling, but she couldn't help but wish she could die. "I thought I'd be stronger. I feel so weak…"she said and laughed to herself. All her life she kept telling others to keep on going, that they should never lose hope and now she was more than willing to give up herself.

"Don't give up Aerith please…" Red pleaded and lifted his huge paw to touch her arm. "Help will come."

"Cloud… Zack…" She said drifting off to unconsciousness, and suddenly they were standing there in front of her smiling in a field full of flowers. She could almost feel the warm sunlight brushing softly against her face, and the wind blowing through her hair. The smell of the earth and the freshness of the sunflowers felt so liberating. She looked at Cloud smiling at her, and she loved him when he smiled. She had only seen him smile a few times since she had known him, but when he did, she couldn't help but stare at him and think about how happy that made her. At least in her dreams she could be with them and not in that lab.

"Aerith!" She heard Red yell her name and it pulled her back to the harshness of reality. "Wake up please!"

Her eyes slowly opened, and when she turned around to face the huge orange tiger she saw his worried expression and his big round eyes staring anxiously down at her. She wasn't outside and she was no closer to being with them, she was back in that horrible place instead.

"I'm ok." She managed to give him a small smile, and with a trembling hand she patted him on the head. "I went to a happy place for an instant."

"Talk to me…" Red didn't want her to fall asleep, he wouldn't let her just give up to that man. "Tell me about this Cloud and Zack that you keep calling."

"Well," she smiled remembering her dream. "I did something terrible to both of them. They were friends and I hurt them, and now they are mad at each other because of me."

"I can't believe that…" Trying to keep her with him, Red asked, "What happened?"

"Zack left… and I thought he was dead because that's what they told me." She started telling him and remembered the pain she went through when she heard the news. "And for a while I thought I was too… But then I met Cloud and I didn't know he was Zack's friend and he didn't know I was his Aerith… Cloud… He pulled me back to life. Now Zack is back and I don't know what to do. I'll hurt one of them and I don't want that. So maybe… maybe if I…"

"Don't finish that sentence…" Red shook his head, his eyes flickered with sadness. "I'm sure they will understand what you really want."

"They don't know I'm here Red," she said, and with some effort she managed to sit up, leaning her back tiredly against the wall.

"We'll find a way out of here then." Red's eyes were full of determination now and for a slight instant Aerith felt hopeful again. She was surprised she could read that creature so well through his eyes. He was making her feel better. "You'll see them again I'm sure. Don't you want that?"

"I do… but…" She looked down thoughtfully.

"I'm sure that if they were in the same situation as you, they would fight and they wouldn't give up hope to see you again don't you think?"

Zack didn't give up… Aerith thought to herself. And I'm sure Cloud wouldn't too. She quietly nodded.

"See!" Red exclaimed. "They're waiting for you wherever they are, and you have to live to tell them what your heart says."

"You're right…" Aerith whispered thoughtfully. She knew he was right and those words gave her a new strength.

"I'm sure that regardless of your choice… you'll be happy." His voice calmed the young woman down and filled her heart with warmth. They had only met inside that cell but Aerith knew she would be forever thankful to that tiger for keeping her from giving up. Zack and Cloud would see her again no matter what.

"Tired?" Zack asked with a smirk, watching Cloud through the corner of his eyes. Cloud climbed up the stairs a few steps behind him, his breathing controlled but with sweat already forming in his forehead.

"No way," Cloud answered in between quick gasps for air. "What floor are we on now?"

"I think… the 50th floor," Zack said after thinking for a second. "We're almost there!"

To Zack's surprise, a wave of renewed energy took control of Cloud and the black-haired man found himself being surpassed by a spiky yellow-head.

"Where did you get that energy from all of a sudden?" Zack asked in awe.

"I was saving it to beat you in the end." Cloud replied with a smirk. Hold on Aerith, we're coming!

Note: Hello everyone! I'm really sorry for the late update! But after my exams the program I use for writing broke down so I couldn't write anything! Finally I am back! The next chapter will be the Cloud ending and after that one I'm going to write the Zack ending. I had to do this because I like both couples a lot! It's almost ending! Thank you so much everyone that reviewed and read my story! I really appreciate it! I hope you haven't abandoned me! lol Also, thank you so much to my lovely beta chibipinkbunny and Persistence. Without them I don't know what I'd do!