I AM SOOO SORRY!! I THOUGHT I SUBMITTED THE LAST CHAPTER ALREADY!! ( I went back to read it and didn't see this one so here it is. the conclusion. thanks so much for reading this wild and twisted story of mine, and I'll get to work on the final part of the trilogy. Thanks again!! )

Chapter 38 - Immortal

Song (1): Heaven Piano Instrumental by Ayumi Hamazaki

…I haven't been the same since we met. Well, no…since three years ago, actually. I can't even remember what the hell I was doin' before I met Cloud and the others. Before I met Vincent. Before I met Damian….and the Phoenix. So much happened in three fuckin' years that I feel like I should be about a hundred years old by now. Then again I always feel older than I am. That's what smokes do to ya, I guess. It's just that…my life changed so fuckin' fast that I don't even remember who I am anymore. If someone saw me now and tried to compare me to who I was three years ago, they'd never guess I 'm the same damn person.

It's funny. In just three years, I met more new people than I've ever met in my entire life, manage to save the world from the same dumbass twice, found out something I didn't even know about myself (yeah, folks! I had no clue. Really!!), fell in love, made a real good friend, gained the powers of what Aeris calls an Omega class Cetra, and saved the world from an Eidolon that had the power to bring down fuckin' galaxies…all that I did BY MYSELF, might I add!! It feels like…I'm dreaming.

Am I dreaming? Did all this really happen? I remember it all like it was just yesterday, so it's gotta be real. But then again, I remember a lot of my dreams, too. I just…don't know… I wanna believe it's a dream. Cause if it's a dream, then everything would be like it's supposed to be when I wake up…if…I wake up.

Maybe I'm dead and don't know it. Maybe I'll never wake up. Or maybe I'm already awake…just daydreamin' like I always do. So many maybe's and what if's. If this is all real…what happened to me? What happened to him? Where is everyone else? Where's…Vincent?

…Edge, New Midgar…

New Midgar looked as if nothing had happened. It appeared as if it were indeed all a strange dream. Some believe it was all a bad dream, and that they had just awakened. However, there were many who knew that to be false. They knew that everything they remembered was not a collection of stressed visions and images traced mysteriously in all of their minds. They knew it was all real.

Life seemed to continue on as it did almost three months prior to the menacing events that took place. Those who believed it all happened believed that the Death of the Phoenix brought about the rebirth of the planet and all it used to be. Some believe that the Phoenix still lives, but has had a change of heart and restored life to the planet as a form of apology for the havoc and chaos it left it its deadly wake. How the planet came to be once more is viewed differently by many, but there are just as many common truths shared among the people of Gaia.

Rufus publicly apologized for his recent actions involving Wutai (the only country aside from Midgar who believes all that happened was true) and granted the country full freedom, as well as a 45,000,000,000 gil trust fund in Wutai's name which made Lord Godo extremely pleased. Godo responded with what was headlined by the many newspapers as "one of the most extravagant and most sought-out parties of the century".

Sephiroth's soul was put to rest by his brothers Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo. Although the three young men resented Sephiroth for his betrayal, they saw him in the light not only as their brother, but as their father. Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo all mourned the death of their brother and father-figure. However, after while, their attention turned to the baffling events involving the two hosts of the limitless power of the Phoenix. The Omega Cetra, Damian Gainsborough, and the famous pilot-turned-singer, Cid Highwind.

Cid slowly opened his eyes as they still burned a bit, and what he saw was the surroundings of the Recovery Room rebuilt after it was destroyed by Damian. Cid had no clue as to why or how he was in the Sierra when he clearly remembered being with his crimson-haired friend. He began looking around the room and spotted Vincent and Tifa sharing a chair sleeping against one another like two overgrown children. He knew then they had been watching over him like guardian angels. He smiled at the thought of his best friend and his lover taking care of him cause he knew he was more than a handful to care for. He always was. Cid sat up and noticed all he had on was a black tank top and matching shorts. He then knew he had been lying there for more than a day. The metal floor felt like a large sheet of ice as Cid stepped down from the bed, and it sent a quick yet sharp chill up his spine throughout his body. He cringed for a brief moment then relaxed as the feeling faded as quickly as it came. He then heard a voice he never thought he'd be happy to hear.

"Wow! I thought you freakin' died!"

Cid froze for a moment at the magnitude of the high pitched voice then turned around to find Yuffie standing in the doorway with her hands clasped together as if she were genuinely happy to see him. In actuality, Cid never could tell whenever Yuffie was being truthful or deceitful, so normally he would just ignore her. Though it was when the petite Wutai native almost ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist that he knew she did care somewhat about him.

"Nah." Cid responded carelessly. "But I think you might be sick." Yuffie eyed him with confusion.

"What? Why?"

Cid looked down at Yuffie's arms, signalling her to look down as well. Yuffie jerked her arms away with a quickness as if she didn't realize what she was doing, then looked down at her feet as she tinted a slight shade of pink. Cid continued to blankly stare at her.

"Okay, Okay!" she shouted at him as she ran her hands through her dark brown hair. "I care alright. Gawd!! You're the only one who picks on me, and I've...gotten used to it. I wouldn't feel the same without you." Yuffie then gasped at her comment. "I cannot believe...I just said that." The two of them heard another voice behind them.

"We heard you." it said. "You care about good ol' Cid, huh?" Cid and Yuffie turned to spot Tifa and Vincent standing side by side next to the large metal bed.

"Hey!" Yuffie huffed. "Don't pick on me now! This is a big moment for me, ya know. This'll never happen again, so take a picture, Teef!"

Cid witheld a snicker by smiling and looking down at his bare feet. He then looked up involuntarily into Vincent's vibrant red eyes and was taken back almost immediately. Vincent had given him a look he had never seen before. It was a soft look of relief and happiness, mostly because Cid was doing better than expected.. Cid smiled at the look. This somewhat blessed moment was broken incidentally by Tifa.

"You had us worried, Cid." she said as she hopped up on the metal bed. "When that nice old man found you washed ashore in Junon he said you were in bad shape. And yet, here you are. Standing, walking, and talking." Tifa smiled cheerfully. "Just like you."

"Did you really think I was gonna die?" Cid asked enthusiastically.

"Heck yeah, man!" Yuffie responded sharply. "Did you happen to look around you while you were just standing there? It was like the end of the freakin' world or something!!"

A sudden silence fell over the room. The four of them remembered every event that happened that day, and to them it made no sense that everything looked like nothing had happened.

"I don't get it." Yuffie stated, breaking the brief silence. "If Gaia was all burned up by Damian, how can we be alive?"

"Maybe...the Phoenix had a change of heart." Tifa suggested. "I mean, it was able to do anything it wanted. Maybe something made it make everything right. You think?" Vincent crossed his arms.

"Why worry about how we survived?" he asked rhetorically. "We should just be...happy we're here."

"Oh, W-E, Vinnie!" Yuffie huffed. "I know you wanna know, too, just like everybody else."

Vincent shook his head and all of them fell silent for a moment.

"Where's everybody else?" Cid asked, breaking the silence.

"Cloud and Aeris are getting groceries, Barret, Marlene, and Denzel are at the children's park, and Nanaki's helping Kadaj and Yazoo tend the bar." Yuffie responded. "I'm helping, too. In fact, I'd better get back down there. We got a lot of customers waitin' for the slideshow, Teef! Ya better hurry up!" With that, the thin girl dashed out of the door, leaving Cid slightly confused.

"Where the hell did you dumbasses park this thing?" he huffed.

"Cloud parked it about two miles behind 7th Heaven." Tifa answered. "And don't worry. We all helped him land, so he didn't put any dents in her." The brunette smiled and turned for the door. "Well, I'm gonna go help Yuffie. Hope she didn't scare any customers away."

"What a piece of work these oddballs are." Cid said as he watched his friend leave. Cid turned around and ran into Vincent, who was now standing right behind him. He looked up into his lover's eyes as if he had done something terribly wrong.

"Uh...Vin, you're a little close." Cid commented as he looked down at his feet. "And I haven't exactly brushed my teeth yet." Vincent eyed Cid's blonde hair as Cid was now looking down.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, Cid." Vincent said simply. Cid gave an airy laugh as he stepped backwards.

"Well now we're even." The pilot said. "You scared the shit outta me when you died, remember?" Vincent gently closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I did forget about that." Cid gave Vincent a closed smile.

"No worries, Vin." he said. "Like I said. We're even now."

A chilling silence fell over the room once more, and the two men grew uncomfortable. After almost five minutes, Vincent spoke.

"How did you do it, Cid?" Vincent asked Cid, catching the blonde off guard. Cid closed his eyes.

"Honestly," Cid started. "I can't remember. All I remember is thinking of you. Then I saw nothing but blue."

"Do you still have the Phoenix's abilities, Cid?"

"...Yep."

"Then perhaps it was your power that saved us all then." The pilot opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

"Maybe." he started. "But if I did have something to do with all this, I had Damian to help me. I couldn't have done it without him." Vincent nodded.

"We owe him a lot then." he said clamly. "We've all been from Heaven to Hell and back with him." Cid's eyes widened at Vincent's comment, which appeared to be an attempt at a joke of some sort.

"Did you just make a joke?" Cid asked skeptically. Vincent simply shrugged.

"I guess my timing wasn't what I thought it would be." the raven-haired man responded. Cid chuckled.

"Nah. Not the best time for a joke, but what the hell! Better now than never." Cid then drew himself close enough to hug his lover, making Vincent's heart skip a beat as he did not expect it. "I'm happy for ya, Vincent. You're so much more than what ya were four years ago. Whether it was me or somethin' else, I'm glad it happened for ya. You needed it." Cid then looked into Vincent's crimson eyes and smiled as softly as his face would allow. Vincent returned the gesture with a smile of his own.

"It was you, Cid." he said. "You know that." He conlcuded his comment with a gentle kiss on Cid's chapped lips, leaving Cid slightly dazed.

"Yeah." Cid responded. "The hell was I thinkin'!" Vincent laughed lightly.

"I'm going to leave now so you can fix your problem." Cid grew puzzled.

"Wait. What problem?"

Vincent simply covered his hand over his mouth, making Cid frown for he knew what Vincent meant by that gesture. With that, Vincent turned and walked out of the room, leaving Cid alone. Cid then began to think about a question his lover asked him.

"Do I?" he asked himself. The pilot began thinking about where his toothbrush and toothpaste were in the room. Then, almost if not instantly, the bottom drawer of the metal dresser nearest to the door opened and out and up into the air towards him floated Cid's toothbrush and toothpaste. Cid grinned as the two items levitated in front of him.

"I can really get used to this."

After Cid finished brushing, he slipped on some black shoes that were sitting near the bed and walked out of the Recovery Room making his way to the dock. When he arrived, he found Loz leaning on the pier looking out into the green field of Kalm. Cid walked over and stood next to him.

"Hey." Cid said to him cheerfully. "How are ya?" Loz sized Cid up then went back to gazing.

"I'm alright." Loz responded half-hearted. "Just feeling kinda lost and stupid as always."

"Aw. Come on." Cid gave Loz a playful pat on his shoulder. "You ain't stupid by a longshot. Why'd you say that?"

"Because I am." Loz responded. "I'm lost because I don't know how we're all alive after what happened, and stupid for believing that Sephiroth actually loved us. I guess that made it hard for me to understand what love and friendship really are." Though slightly drawn back by Loz's thickened comment, Cid managed to give a joyful outlook.

"Nah." he started. "Ya got all that down, Kiddo. Ya just need somebody to remind ya of what it is. And trust me, we gotcha!" Cid grinned at Loz, giving him a sudden reassurance.

"You know," Loz began as he smiled. "You remind me a lot of Damian. He always seemed so happy even though half the time you couldn't really see it." Cid let out a somewhat relieving sigh.

"It runs in the family." he commented. "You'll see."

"Hmm..." Loz began rubbing his chin. "Most of it anyway. I personally think Aeris is way too forward and blunt. Damian wasn't that way at all. Don't tell Aeris, but I think Damian's a little nicer than she is." Cid laughed at Loz's comment.

"Sure thing, Kiddo."

"Um...It's Loz actually. And thanks." With that, Loz resumed his activity of admiring the green grass. Cid joined him for a while, then Loz turned to him.

"So." Loz began. "Now that all of this is finally over, what's next for you? I hear you're pretty fly on the radio. Are you gonna keep at it?"

Cid began to think. It hadn't really occurred to him until now that life was pretty much back to normal aside from a few differences, and the blonde never thought about what would be in store for him. He did have many possibilities to choose from after all. He could return to the skies and become an official pilot once again. He could also continue his singing career that everyone has begun to love. He could devote his time to learning about his new psionic abilities. Or he could just spend time with the ones he loved the most. Cid then had an epiphany. He chose all of his choices because all of them made him happy, and because they made everyone else happy as well. Moreover, it would make Vincent as well as his late friend Damian happy. It was then he began slowly piecing together a song that he would end up dedicating to his friends and loved ones. He grinned to himself.

"I've got a few things planned." Cid told Loz, who smiled happily at the notion.

"Sweet!" he shouted. "It better be good!"

"It will be."

"I'm sure." Loz stretched his arms over his head and turned for the door. "Well, I'm gonna go and meet everyone in Tifa's bar. You coming?" Cid shruged his shoulders.

"Yeah. I'll be there in a while." Loz nodded and left Cid alone.

Cid looked down at the green terrain below him and contemplated for a moment before leaping over the railing and landing on his feet in the grass he gazed into. Cid took a few steps forward and smiled as he looked into the amazing blue sky laced with clouds. (1.) As he took in a relaxing deep breath, Cid felt a gentle breeze pass through him as if it were caressing his being.

"I haven't seen a day like this in a while." Cid said to himself. "I hope I get ta see more of 'em."

Cid then felt a familiar presence within the wind. An irreplacable presence that he could feel a million miles away. It shook him a little inside, but at the same time it gave him a reassuring feeling which made him realize the presence he felt was the misguided spirit of the Phoenix. The wind blew slightly stronger, and Cid shut his eyes and accepted the gentle breeze.

"You're welcome." he said out aloud, as if speaking directly to the wind. Cid then smiled gently and turned for New Midgar. However, he stopped when he felt the same presence in a strong wind. He turned back around to find his goggles, slightly worn with the left eye cracked, laying within a tall patch of grass. Cid felt around on his forehead and noticed he did not have his goggles on.

"Damn." he scoffed as he walked back to pick up the worn goggles. He put them over his forehead, and smiled gently.

"Life is sweet."

End.