14. Flowers.

Note: In case anyone was wondering about the names I picked for Zack, Aerith and Ayanna. I picked by meanings. I tried to base Zack's off the opposite meaning of his orginial name "God has Remembered" . Aerith's meaning close to "Earth".

Kalani means "The Heavenly One"

Zadok means "Sacrifice"

Ayanna means "Beautiful Flower"

"One tiny wish." Zack whispered,

"Anything." I chimed back.

He deserved it. He deserved everything I probably couldn't give him. Zack's hands are the ones that loaded us into the boat, as we set sail. Passenger cruise ship, really. Wasn't for a long drift around the ocean, but a quick trip from point A to point B.

Everywhere he went, Ayanna was attached to his hip. Older couples stopping and cooing about how they looked like twins, and how gorgerous of a child she was. How happy they looked together, and what a darling family we must be. It wasn't until Zack reached the tip of the ship with our daughter, did an elderly couple actually stop him down in his tracks.

His fingers interlocked with mine, as he gave it a squeeze. "Aerith.." He whispered, sounding short of breath, "That's my.."

"Oooh! Look at the youngin'!" The grey haired woman chimed as she spotted the child, I lifted a brow to Zack, his face was pale, mako eyes wide. "Isn't she just a darling!" She cheered.

Ayanna waved and reached for the elderly woman, the woman giving Zack pleading eyes, he would shift his weight and allowed the precious girl grasped onto the woman. I gasped for a moment, as Zack spun to me.

"Excuse us, would you mind watching for a quick moment?" He said quickly as he dragged me off to the side, several feet out of earshot of the woman, and still in eyesight of her as well.

"What are you doing!" I said in a half-whisper, half-scream. "You don't-"

"That's my mother." Zack said quickly, as he grasped my shoulders, "She doesn't know.. I'm sure they.." His voice trailed as he glanced over his shoulder, catching sight of them spinning in a quick circle, and the woman whispering nothings to the girl about anything and everything.

It made sense.. It's been forever since Zack had seen either of his parents, and his father was no where in sight just yet.

"Oh, Zack.." I whispered, as we floated back nearby to them.

"Oh, she's beautiful."

Zack smiled, the woman giving him a funny look, "You look.." She paused for a moment, as she shifted around with the girl on her hip, small, tight sways left to right before Ayanna would reach for me, and she'd pass her over without a second thought.

"Forgive me." The woman would say, a smile sorrowful smile drawn on her lips, as she leaned towards Zack. Zack's face slowly began to regain its color. "But she looks like.." Another pause, the woman placed a hand to her cheek.

"You wouldn't of happened to be in SOLDIER, would you?" Her eyes watching his infused with mako.

"Excuse us." I said as I tapped the tip of Ayanna's nose and a small whine screamed, "But I think someone's hungry." I smiled, "Say bye, Ayanna."

The girl would wave, she would reach for her father as he leaned to press his lips to her small forehead, "Daddy will see you soon, sweetheart." His fingers weaving through the ebony locks.

It was an excuse to leave Zack alone with his mother. As soon as she said SOLDIER, I knew it was my cue to leave him alone. I wonder what he'd do when placed in a position such as this? Were was his father for that matter.

Hopefully we'll land in Junon soon.

"Excuse me, miss."

Why have I heard that voice before? I peered up to see the ninja. It had been months since I last saw her, but there she was again. "Mind if I talk to you for abit?" She said, already making herself comfortable next to me.

"Hm?" I hummed, as I continue to dish little spoonfuls of mashed veggies.

"You know a Tifa?" Yuffie asked, I'd nod.

"Are you Kalani?"

I lifted a brow, but only continued to nod. I saw a smirk lift across Yuffie's lips. "She was right when she said you'd be easy to find."

"How is that so?"

"You look like her." She replied, extending her feet out infront of her, shifting her toes from side to side. "How's the little one?"

"Ayanna." I replied, casting my sight down to my daughter.

"She looks like the dark haired guy over there." She said, shifting her head off to the side.

"Her father."

"You married?" She questioned.

I felt like I was being interrogated. So many questions. "Engaged." I replied, casting a smile as I heard heavy footsteps coming our way.

"Hm." Yuffie replied, as she stood and threw her arms above her head. I placed Ayanna so her head would just rest against my shoulder as I lightly rubbed her back. "Well." Her shoulders shrugged, "You do look like her.." She repeated, "But, I'm here about another thing." She smiled as she paced with her back to us.

"What is this about, miss?" I said, as I felt Zack's weight shift the seat besides us. He was leaned over with his face hidden in his hands.

I guess it was heartbreaking for him, I wonder what they talked about, what was said between them, did he tell her who he was, was it something about his father? So many questions I want to ask him.

"Where are you headed?" Yuffie turned to us, tilting her head as she leaned forward completely ignoring my question.

I sighed. "We're going to see someone." I answered truthfully.

"Tifa?" She asked, I looked over at Zack, who was shaking his head, as if trying to hold something in.

"Yes." I nudged Zack with my arm lightly, he moved two of his fingers so I could see his eyes, so he could see me. He was crying silently, any news from him couldn't be good. I gave him a quick frown, and shook my head before he turned his sights back to darkness within his palms.

"Oh.." She hummed for a minute, thinking out her thoughts and how to put everything. It was written on her face. "Well, that's kinda why she sent me." She smiled, almost focusing on me. "She hadn't heard from you and was abit worried." She confessed.

I smiled, bobbing my hand. "I'll have to bring her a flower then."

The ninja hummed for a moment, keeping her eyes on me, there was something eating at her, poking at her soul that she wanted to say, that she wanted to call out. "Alright..A.." She paused, "Kalani." She bobbed her little head, "Don't mind if I tag along do you."

I glanced down at Zack, who shrugged his shoulders before wiping his eyes with his bare forearm and looking up at Yuffie. He played a smile across her lips, and nodded. "Sure, you can. Heading back to Edge, I can take it?"

The ninja nodded with a bright smile. Zack leaned back on her heels, "No problem," He said waving his left hand as his arms came across his chest. "We're making a stop a Gongaga." He warned, looking over at me, talking to me and only really me at that time. "Someone recently passed, I just wanna pay my respects."

I leaned on him, as I shook my head. "I'm sorry.." I would whisper, placing my lips to his ear so only he could hear, Ayanna would shift over from my lap to Zack's. "I'm so sorry, Zack.." Almost choking myself as I spoke.

We would arrive at Gongaga first. I would ask Yuffie to stay put, as Zack and I wondered to the graveyard, Zack carried Ayanna close to his chest. Watching the man you've had a child with, the man that proposed to you hold back so many tears as he kneeled before his own father's tombstone.

He embraced his child closely, as I stood just off to the right of him, a hand on his shoulder as I watched the SOLDIER crumble in his own tears again. I kneeled, and slipped my arms under his, behind the tiny child. I laid my face close to his.

Minutes passed before either of us, I broke the ice first.

"I'm sorry, Zack.." I whispered, "What happened between you and your mother."

Zack shook his head, "She knows who I am." He confessed, "I didn't even have a chance to really lie to her about it." He smiled.

My mind drabbled as I thought silently back to when I was told I shouldn't tell anyone, I closed my eyes. Was something going to happen to him now? Was something going to happen to us? To little Ayanna? I wanted to scream.

"A mother would never forget her child.." I whispered as I peered down at Ayanna. "What did you say to her?" I questioned.

"I lied." He smiled. Oh his smile was so sorrowful, it hurt. He was wiggling out of my arms and slipping over to a patch of wild flowers with Ayanna on his hip. "I said, I just lost track of time, I lost contact with alot of people. I was busy planning everything out with my girlfriend." His fingers picked at afew wild flowers as he spoke, his voice shaking.

"She believed me.." He whispered. "She said she moved away from Gongaga shortly after my father passed." Zack was turned around, pacing back as he kneeled infront of the tombstone, carefully placing the four flowers nearby the top.

They were yellow, tiny things.

"She said Ayanna was gorgerous." He continued, sitting on his rear, boucning the small child. "You were too, how grown I was.." His voice turned into a whisper, it almost felt like he was being renewed.

I pressed my forehead to his.

I felt horrible for everything. Getting him close, chasing him away, giving him myself, taking it away, going after Tifa, leaving him behind, leaving him to wonder, bringing him back... Accepting him. Giving him our daughter.

He watched you as you fell, he held you as you bent, he picked you up.

If you love something let it go, if it comes back.. It was meant to be.

Oh, Aerith.. What have you done?