Disclaimer- I do not own Kingdom Hearts
Love Everlasting
Chapter 14
The Feelings Inside
Aerith picked out the dead leaves out of one of the potted plants in her shop. She had been there for two hours, cleaning and organizing the shop she had not been in since her attack. Her best friends, Tifa and Yuffie, moved along the shop following the flower girl's instructions. Aerith had to tell Yuffie several times not to over water certain plants and flowers while others got more water. Tifa did most of the heavy lifting being that she was the strongest physically of the women.
"Where do you want me to put this one?" Tifa asked.
Aerith observed the plant for a moment before instructing Tifa where to place it. She went back to searching through the plant for more dead leaves or any other imperfections. Aerith worked quietly, much to Yuffie's annoyance. She hated when everyone was quiet. She needed noise or chatter. However, the flower girl was not in a particular mood to talk. It worried Tifa.
"Hey, why are you do quiet?' Tifa asked as she placed down a large glass vase.
"No reason," Aerith said softly, "just trying to get my work done."
Something was clearly wrong. It was obvious to Tifa. Yuffie took it for face value. Being concerned, Tifa told Yuffie to take out the trash. The younger girl protested but Tifa forced her anyway. Annoyed, the younger girl skipped out the door to take the garbage to the back dumpster. When she was sure she was gone, Tifa crossed her arms in front of Aerith.
"Seriously, what's bothering you?" Tifa asked, keeping an eye out for Yuffie. "Did something happen with you and Cloud."
Aerith flushed, "N-no not at all!"
Tifa rolled her eyes, forcing Aerith to sigh.
"I kissed him." She admitted.
Tifa gasped, her mouth hung open.
"You kissed him?" she choked.
Aerith hissed, "Yes, now will you let it go."
"Why would you kiss him? He is your ex-husband."
Aerith shook her head, shrugging her shoulders at the same time. Honestly, she had no idea how to answer Tifa. She had no idea why she kissed him. She felt bad for him. She felt bad for putting him through hell. Cloud was not the reason their marriage failed. Aerith was just tired of the stress. If anyone was to blame, she thought it be her fault. She ended it without even trying to sort things out.
Cloud's lament hit her hard. She felt inclined to do something and ease his pain. She kissed him. She kissed him and then nearly smacked her own ex-husband for it. Well, she did hit him which made her feel all the worse if not, more confused above anything.
"I don't know what to do," Aerith said finally.
"What did Cloud think about all this?"
Aerith looked away. "He asked me what that kiss meant."
"What did it mean?" Tifa asked softly.
Aerith shook her head. "It meant…"
"Man that garbage stinks back there. I thought I was going to throw up!" Yuffie gagged as she walked through the door.
Yuffie looked between the two questionably. "Oh, so you guys get to chat while I do all the work. That is so unfair!"
"I'm sorry," Aerith apologized. "How about I get us all some drinks at the café down the street."
Yuffie squealed, "I want a chocolate chip java with whip cream on top!"
Yuffie clung to Aerith happily. The older girl smiled and looked at Tifa. Tifa herself ordered a vanilla latte. With that said, Aerith left the shop. She was quite grateful to get away from the situation. She knew Tifa would analyze everything she was saying. The truth was though, that kiss meant so much. What exactly it meant did not make any sense to her.
Not to far away, Cloud rubbed the side of his face. He was tired and missed the days he could drive off on his motorcycle. His days as Aerith's delivery boy were some of his favorite times. He loved it actually. Driving back and forth and delivering things was fun and easy. Not to mention he worked on his ex-wife's schedule and not some slave drivers. Sure, he was working with Leon right now but this job was only temporarily. It would have to do for now.
As he worked he took a moment to stop. Not out of exhaustion but for some other reason. He looked around to make sure no one was around and pulled out his cell phone. He pressed a button to activate it. The screen blinked on and Cloud frowned. There were no phone calls or messages on his phone. He almost expected there to be one or two. He slid it back in his pocket.
"Cloud, I need your help up here," Leon called from atop of the steps.
"Coming," Cloud said, stopping what he was doing for the moment.
The spiky haired man walked up the stairs to find Leon in a room waiting. On the floor of the room was a large looking plank.
"Here help me lift this." He called.
Cloud stood on the other side of the plank and together he Leon moved it from the room, careful not to hit any of the walls. The leaned it against the wall carefully and then Leon motioned him back in the room.
"What else do you need?" Cloud asked, wanting to get back to his job.
"You're distracted." Leon said. "Are you still thinking about Aerith?"
Cloud shook his head.
"Then what?" Leon asked as he crouched down to the floor to pick up stray pieces of wood.
Cloud once again pulled out his cell phone and turned it on. After checking it over he placed it back in his pocket.
"What, is someone calling you?" The brunette man asked.
Cloud shook his head, "No, I just have this weird feeling."
"Are you sick?"
He shook his head again.
"I just have this feeling I shouldn't be here right now."
X, X, X,
Sora and Roxas were walking home after parting with their friends. Roxas wanted to leave more so because he thought he was going to die of embarrassment. Axel was repeatedly teasing him and making kissing faces at him. Roxas wanted to hit his best friend for that. Namine on the other hand did not even seemed bothered by the teasing.
"So, how long do you think until mom and dad are back together?" Sora asked his brother, knowing he did not want to talk about him and Namine kissing.
"I don't know," Roxas replied, slightly annoyed. "I don't think mom and dad are going to get back together."
Sora punched his brother in the arm, causing him to yelp.
"What the hell Sora?"
"Stop being so pessimistic or else. Mom and dad need each other and you know it. Besides, don't you see the way dad looks at mom? He wants to be with her so bad. I just know it!"
"I can't help thinking it. We wanted mom and dad together for so long but they never got back together. Why would they start falling back in love now?"
Sora pondered for a moment. After a moment, he snapped his fingers. Roxas arched an eyebrow.
"We're not three years old anymore and mom and dad have money to support the both of us. No stress to get in the way."
Roxas smirked, "Well, I guess it makes sense. Just don't go saying that around mom or dad. They don't want us to think it was out fault."
"Oh, I know it is not my fault," Sora grinned. "It was your entire fault. You were such a bad kid."
"ME? You were the one who use to play in dirt and EAT it."
Sora launched at his brother and began to covering his mouth. He began shushing him loudly.
"Can you say it any louder? I think the whole world heard you!"
The brothers returned home to an empty house, arguing. Both parents were still away. After a bit more arguing the brother parted. Roxas walked up the stairs to the bedroom while Sora headed for the kitchen to get snacks. He busied himself in the refrigerator, gathering chocolate brownies, sodas, and sandwiches before raiding the cupboards and pantry for chips and dip. He began to leave the kitchen when he bumped straight into his mom.
Sora gave her the biggest grin he could muster, knowing very well he was caught red handed. Aerith gave him a disapproving look.
"Oh, hey mom," he said sheepishly.
Aerith sighed, "Sora, put all those snacks away you'll spoil your dinner."
Sora groaned as his mother brushed past to put down a bag of groceries on the table. Sora dumped the snacks on the table, slightly annoyed. Aerith began unpacking the groceries.
"I'm making casserole tonight." She explained.
Sora grimaced. Casserole was not his favorite thing to eat. He especially hated it if it contained broccoli.
"Oh shoot," Aerith whispered. "I forgot the broccoli."
She looked at her son, "Sora can you go to the store and get me a bunch of broccoli?"
"Do I have to?" He moaned as if it were the worst thing ever.
Aerith handed him some munny from her purse and smiled. Sora pocketed the munny and spun around to leave. Once he was gone a few minutes later, Roxas came down and into the kitchen.
"Where's Sora?" he asked his mother.
"He went to get broccoli. I forgot it."
Roxas smirked, "You forget groceries? You are super mom you never forget anything."
Aerith breathed. "I have a lot on my mind."
Roxas looked up at his mother questionably. He meant it as a joke. Quietly he asked, "What is it?"
Aerith shrugged before patting her son on the head, "Don't worry about it."
The blond-haired twin stared at his mother, unsure whether to believe her or not. His mother sighed again, rubbing her sore back. She looked tired again, like she use to look when she was working long hours at the shop. She always put more than one hundred percent into everything, regardless the toll it took.
"Mom, you should lay down, you look tired."
"Oh, I didn't get much sleep last night," she yawned. "Maybe a small nap would be good."
She stretched out before looking at her son again.
"Finish putting the groceries away please?" she asked sweetly.
"No problem," Roxas agreed.
Aerith slipped out of the kitchen and into her little room. She pushed the door behind her closed before flopping down on the bed. She landed face down on the pillow and laid there for a moment. She then turned over, eyes closed and slowly drifted off to sleep.
A few blocks away, Sora was exiting a grocery store with a bag full of broccoli. He sighed, not looking forward to dinner tonight. Wanting to stock up on something delicious and not necessarily healthy, he spotted a small vendor across the street selling junk food, candy, magazines and newspapers. He crossed the street between a silver sports car and a blue truck to get to the other side.
Sora picked out three bags of potato chips, six large candy bars, and a video game magazine that he had been eagerly waiting to buy. He waited behind a tall man in a black coat who was buying a newspaper. As he waited, his cell phone rang.
Sora picked up an answered, "Hey Roxas. Yeah, I'm getting snacks since mom is probably going to be on food patrol tonight. No, I will be home soon. Yes, I'll get you some chocolate too."
When the man finished paying, he rudely pushed past Sora. The brown-haired twin muttered "jerk" under his breath as the man walked away and then put all his items on the counter to check out.
"I'll be home in a few minutes bro," Sora said, "Later."
Sora paid the vendor and took his secret stash of food. He hurried home, wanting to make sure to avoid his mother if she just happened to woke up. He left the broccoli on the counter and hurried up the stairs where he found his brother doing his homework.
Sora ignored his homework, knowing his brother would let him copy anyway, and picked up the magazine he bought while munching on some chips. Roxas looked up at his brother as he crunched loudly.
"Hey Sora, can you crunch any louder?" Roxas asked. "I can still hear!"
"Sorry," Sora mumbled before throwing him a candy bar. "Hey there's this new game coming out in the spring. It's a sequel to that…"
"BARK! BARK! BARK"
The twins looked at one another.
"Pluto must be outside," Roxas guessed.
True enough Pluto was outside barking madly. Sora assumed the dog was barking at some chipmunks or another animal and would stop soon. Sora continued in his attempt to read but the dog continued to bark.
"Sheesh, he is really going at it." Roxas remarked.
Pluto continues barking louder and louder. It goes on for several more minutes with no signs of relenting. It begins to annoy Sora and makes him wish the master would let his dog in. After another series of barks, Sora stops his reading and hops off the bed. Roxas looks at his brother questionably.
"I'm going to see what's bugging Pluto." Sora stated.
He left the room and bounded down the stairs. He jumped over the bottom last two steps and circles around the banister to head toward the back door in the kitchen. As he heads toward the kitchen, he notices the room where his mother was sleeping. The door was open a crack but that was not what was peculiar. What caught his eye were the specks of mud leading for the kitchen door to her room.
Sora knew his mother would never drag mud through a house, and if she did, it would have been promptly cleaned up. Yet, his mother had been sleeping upon his return and the door to her room had been closed. Curious, the boy walked to the door and pushed it open, softly calling out his mom's name. When the door opened all the way, Sora's eyes widened.
"MOM!" Sora shouted in alarm.
Before him, his mother was lying on the bed with a man hovering over her. His hands clamped around her throat, strangling the life out of her. The man's jade eyes snapped to the door and they met Sora. The boy looked startled, unsure who this man was and why he was doing this. Seconds later Roxas, upon hearing his brother's cry, joined him at the door. Yet, when then second son saw what was happening, all color drained from his face.
Memories flooded back from that day. The day this man had trapped him underneath a bookshelf and forced him to watch as he brutally beat his mother. He could never forget those eyes staring at him with such emptiness that made him wonder if this man was born with a soul.
"Sephiroth!" Roxas cried.
The moment Sora heard his name; he realized who this man was. He was the one who harmed his mother and brother. Then it hit him, this was the man who stood in front of him at the newspaper stall. He had led him here!
"Let go of my mom!" Sora cried. He launched himself at the man who slapped him away, still applying pressure to Aerith.
Roxas, however clamped onto the man's arm and began biting and scratching him as hard as he could. Sora returned, jumping on the silver-haired man's back and began punching him repeatedly in the head to get him off his mother. Sephiroth released Aerith finally. Aerith fell back, her neck throbbing and gasping for air. He first grabbed Roxas and yanked him off his arm before shoving him into a wall. Next, he grabbed Sora, flipped him over, and threw him at his brother. Both boys landed in a crumpled heap on the floor.
He got off the bed, leaving Aerith alone and walked towards the boys. Sora was the first to recover. His eyes widened as he saw Sephiroth approach. Without thinking, he shoved his brother through the door with him at his heels.
"Run!" Sora shouted. "Get out of here!"
The two boys scrambled through the living room but before he could get far, Sora was snatched by his collar and dragged back. The brown-haired twin made a gagging sound as he was pulled backwards. Roxas spun around and watched as Sephiroth picked his brother up by the neck. Sora's feet dangled off the ground as he tried to pry off the vise like grip.
"Sora," Roxas gasped.
"NO!" Aerih screamed.
The mother had recovered and hit Sephiroth as hard as she could with her body. Sephiroth stumbled forward but never released his hold on the child. He turned around and hit Aerith hard in the stomach, sucking all the air out of her. She fell over wheezing. Roxas stared in horror, remembering how hard his mother had tried to protect him and how his brother was trying to do the same. How he had been dangling off the ground, anticipating death.
Roxas charged at Sephiroth, blinded by rage. He began hitting him repeatedly as hard as he could. Sephiroth backhanded the golden haired twin. Roxas's head snapped to the side and the next thing he knew Sephiroth was holding him in the air, just like his brother. Both boys struggled for air. Their attempts to free themselves seemed useless against the silver-haired man. Sephiroth tightened his grip and the boys fighting became less and less aggressive. The life within them began to fade.
Aerith, still on the ground, dragged herself to Sephiroth. She grabbed his boot, gaining his attention. Her tear filled eyes pleaded with him to let go of her sons. Sephiroth sneered at her and kicked her away, disgusted that she would even touch him. Aerith sobbed, trying to pull herself up as she watched Sora's arms fall limp and Roxas's soon followed. Sephiroth grinned manically as he watched the twins fight for their lives. The very life within them draining away.
BAM!
Sephiroth felt something hit him. He lost his grip on the twins. Sora and Roxas fell to the ground wheezing for a moment before passing out. The next thing Sephiroth knew he was hit again, this time the force sent him flying over the couch. Aerith looked at her sons, coughing as she called out to them. Then she looked up weakly to see Cloud standing, his hands in tight fists and his azure eyes blazing with anger.
"Cloud…" Aerith whispered softly.
Cloud had acted on his gut feeling and went home early from work. He arrived home and upon getting off his motorcycle, Pluto's barking alerted him. He wandered into the backyard and saw the kitchen door open, He walked in to Sephiroth strangling his sons. Rage filled the father that he was blinded and in fury used his full strength to hit the man. The very man he failed to stop from hurting Roxas and Aerith before.
Sephiroth got up, the side of his face bright red. His eyes narrowed at Cloud. He clenched his fists tightly and then let go.
"Leave my family alone," he seethed.
Sephiroth smirked, "She isn't your family anymore."
With that, Sephiroth lunged over the couch and tackled Cloud to the floor. The two men began to wrestle for control but unlike his ex-wife and children, Cloud was not easily overpowered. He blocked Sephiroth from punching him and was able to knock him off him. Sephiroth rolled across the ground but quickly recovered, as well as Cloud. Sephiroth moved into the kitchen, Cloud quickly followed. In a blink of an eye, the silver-haired assailant threw a kitchen chair with ease at Cloud. The spiky-haired man dodged the chair and it collided against the wall, leaving a large dent.
Cloud charged at the man but Sephiroth sidestepped him and kneed him in the stomach. Cloud gasped, finding his breath gone but soon met with another blow on his back. He slumped forward and Sephiroth grabbed him and slammed him up against the counter before ripping open a drawer. The contents of the drawer fell to the ground as he ripped open another, finding what he was looking for. The spiky-haired man groaned as he picked himself up, only to come face to face with Sephiroth who was now brandishing a knife.
Cloud swallowed hard, as Sephiroth approached him. His jade eyes were cold and yet showing ever bit of insanity behind them. He charged at Cloud, who ducked just in time to miss the initial attack. The knife clanked loudly against the counter. Cloud kicked Sephiroth in the knee, making him stumble before rolling out of the way. Sephiroth slammed jaw first into the counter, still clutching the knife in his hand.
The spiky-haired man grabbed a potted plant on the windowsill, one that Aerith had placed their earlier in the week, and spun around in an attempt to hit the assailant with it. As he spun around Sephiroth was there and knocked the plant out of Cloud's hand sending it crashing to the floor. Startled, Cloud found himself being punched again in the gut and then backhanded across the face. He landed hard against the counter edge before sliding down on the floor. He let out a groan as Sephiroth smirked sadistically.
Knife in hand, he picked up Cloud by the collar and brushed the knife along his cheek, forcing a thin line of blood to appear. Cloud winced and opened his eyes to see the knife raise high in the air before descending alarmingly at him.
"NO!"
Aerith had recovered, somehow, and grabbed onto Sephiroth's arm to prevent him from stabbing her ex-husband. She wrestled with him for the knife before he dropped Cloud. Annoyed, he grabbed Aerith by her braid and yanked her head back. Aerith let out a screech before Sephiroth threw her onto the kitchen table, landing on her front. Aerith gasped, the shock of landing on the table sending waves of pain throughout her.
Aerith felt a hand on her head, pinning her down. From behind Sephiroth was holding the knife over her back. He brought the knife down, intending to plunge it into her back.
Aerith screamed. Blood poured out, landing everywhere.
Sephiroth brought his hand down and found his hand covered in blood, his nose and lip busted completely open. He looked in front of him, only to see Cloud's fist connecting with his face for a second time and a third.
"I said," Cloud repeated, "Leave. My. Family. Alone!"
For a fourth time, Cloud hit Sephiroth on the face, finally sending the silver-haired man to the ground for good.
Cloud breathed heavily. Aerith pushed herself off the kitchen table, shaking and tears pouring down her cheeks. The two looked at each other and for a moment, all was silent. Then Cloud found her arms wrapped tightly around him, and the woman sobbing hysterically. The ex-husband wrapped an arm around her, while the other stroked the back of her head gently, trying to soothe her.
Seconds later, the sound of feet running across the floor echoed throughout the house. The twins had finally awoken. They were in desperate search for their mother and father. They came to the entrance to the kitchen and stared wide eye at the scene.
"Mom! Dad!" they cried in union.
Aerith broke away from her husband and rushed to her boys, gathering them in her arms still crying. Sora and Roxas hugged their mom just as tight, realizing how close they were to losing her, to losing each other. Cloud breathed, wanting to join his sons and ex-wife, his family, but instead he needed to call the authorities. He needed to make sure that Sephiroth would never ever, harm his family again.
X, X, X,
It had been a long day. Cloud, Aerith, and the twins had to go down to the police station to make a statement after being taken to the hospital for a brief check up. Cloud cut was minor and there was no trauma to anyone. They returned to Cloud's home exhausted, hungry, and above all feeling safer that their tormentor was behind bars.
"Dad you really knocked him out," Sora beamed.
"You're our hero," Roxas said.
Cloud ruffled his sons' hair affectionately. The boys quickly moved away, not wanting their father to mess up their hair.
"I don't know about you two but I'm hungry," Cloud said.
"Oh can we order pizza?" Sora asked.
"Oh and chicken wings!" Roxas added.
The sons we're beaming happily. Cloud smiled and looked back at Aerith who was a little ways from her sons and ex-husband.
"Mom can we have pizza?" Sora asked.
"You can have whatever you like," she said slowly.
"We don't have to get it if you don't want it," Roxas replied.
Aerith shook her head. She smiled and stretched out her arms.
"It was a long, long day." She said, "I as thinking about going home and taking a nice long rest."
"We're home now," Roxas said.
Aerith shook her head, "No, this is your father's home. I want to go to my home."
Aerith smiled. Sora and Roxas looked at one another as if someone had knocked the wind out of them. They looked at their father who was equally surprised.
"Thank you, Cloud, for watching over me but this isn't my home." Aerith politely thanked her husband before turning to her sons. "If you want to spend the night here you can but… I'll be going home."
"Why," Roxas exasperated.
Aerith looked at him, her eyes gentle. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I don't belong here." She whispered softly, "This isn't my home."
It was happening so fast that the twins could not even comprehend what was happening. Their mother was leaving. Why would she go now? She was safe here. They could not understand her decision at all! Aerith already retrieved her belongings and packed them in her car in less than ten minutes. She turned around to see her sons and ex-husband quietly watching her. She gave them her signature smile. She gathered her sons in her arms, hugging them tightly and planting a kiss on their heads. Normally, the twins would object to such kisses but this time they received them without complaint.
"You two behave now." She said.
Sora and Roxas quietly nodded and then their mother turned to their father. She smiled and gave him a curt nod.
"Thank you for your kindness." She whispered. "I appreciate everything you have done."
Cloud remained quiet. The two looked at each other as if waiting for the other to say something. Aerith bit her lip and gave a small nod to her ex-husband. She turned around, opening the door to her car. She hesitated for a moment, her shoulders slumped slightly. She glanced over her shoulder at the three.
"Good bye."
She sat down in her car, closed the door, and started it. Then after backing out of the driveway she drove off. The twins looked at their father, in shock. They wanted to say many things to him such as, "Why did you let her leave," or "Go and bring her back!" Yet, the twins remained quiet as their father turned to go inside.
Cloud did not say anything for the remainder of the night. What could he say? He was in pain, pain that was hurting deep within him. Watching Aerith drive away brought up the same emotions that day, so many years ago. It was the second time that he had to watch the woman he loves walk right out of his life and he did nothing to stop it.
X,X,X,
Author Note- Sorry for the long wait. I have been extremely busy. Happy Holidays!