The day was early, so Natalie and Aerith were back at the church. One more time, before Natalie left the sector.

Natalie was sitting on the ground again, her sword and small pack beside her.

A part of Angeal rested on the rafters above them. Visible but draped over the rafters quietly for the moment.

Natalie's thoughts stormed through her, they were a mess. She wanted to say good-bye, while Jamie was in the Lifestream. Despite imagining her face and voice. Marin knew the woman was dead and gone. Jamie haunted Natalie, but she was still gone from the land of the living.

Danny didn't haunt her, but he was gone too, returned to the planet. Along with Shawn.

In contemplating the flowers. Natalie remembered a white place, with water. Roceler, and Jamie. When she had been made into a SOLDIER. When she had forgotten where she had come from.

"Wait for me.' Natalie prayed. 'Just a little longer.'

Aerith was also quiet and taking the moment to pray. Her eyes were closed, her hands clasped under her chin.

Natalie exhaled and took the same pose, not that it would help but she did it anyway.

When nothing happened, and Natalie felt nothing, she took her ocarina out of her pocket. She hoped that the music would push her worries out of her mind.

Some of the titles in her notebook were just smudges now. But she knew which melody she wanted. A song that reminded her of Aerith.

It was something she had wanted to play after Jamie had died. But the Ocarina she had had at the time had shattered. Before that it was a song she had played for Roceler. The man that had gifted her the shattered Ocarina. The man, the ancient? that had made the ocarina that Natalie held now. Somehow she had found two more with his maker's mark. And she had seen him on the edge of the Lifestream, whatever had happened since she had last seen him, he was gone from the living as well now.

Focusing on the song, Natalie stumbled a few times. She didn't know where a bubble of sadness came from. She kept playing to the end of the song.

"You can't save anyone." Jamie whispered in Natalie's ear.

Natalie squeezed her eyes shut and move the ocarina to her lap. Her cheeks were moist with tears. She wanted to bring her knees up to her chin and curl into a tiny ball. Jamie's voice was back. 'You're gone, I'm just hearing things.' Natalie reminded herself.

Her neck prickled when she thought she was being watched. 'No.' She thought. Jamie had gotten into her head. Her head was aching again, like last night. She tried to think of something, anything. A memory of being held came to mind. A hug. But everyone that ever had embraced were gone. Or forgotten.

Her head continued to pound, but Jamie's voice didn't continue. Natalie put her notebook and ocarina away, when Aerith spoke up.

"That song, where did it come from?"

"I don't remember."

"It's…nice." Aerith told her.

"Thanks."

"It sounds so sad."

"It's just how you play it. Sometimes it's sad. Sometimes it makes me fell better."

Aerith un-balled her fists.

Natalie finally pulled out of her self enough to notice the gesture. 'When did Aerith make a fist?'

"Hmm." Aerith made a noise.

"I'm sorry, Aerith. I don't want to be any trouble."

"There's nothing to apologize about." Aerith reassured her.

"Do you know any more songs?" Aerith asked.

"I know a few."

"What other songs do you remember?"

"Um…"

Aerith put out a hand, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Natalie shook her head. "No, I know others." Natalie pulled out her book, to remind her which one she wanted to play next.

She found the one called 'Cosmo Canyon.' It was easier to play lightly, and not sound sad. When Natalie was done, she was surprised she wasn't sweating. She had never played this much for someone else.

Oh, her friends had heard her practice. But she had only ever played for herself.

When she was done, Aerith started clapping.

Natalie felt herself blushing. "I'm not that good."

"You're being too hard on yourself. Hey, maybe that's what you could do, play that for other people."

Natalie licked her lips, "I only do it for myself."

"Well, you're playing music for me, and our friend." Aerith looked to the ceiling.

"Hmm."

"Would you do me a favor Natalie?"

"Yeah?"

"Play one more?"

"Maybe."

"Something else, did you write any others?"

"I can think of one." Natalie switched to her harmonica. At this point she could play 'Empty' with her eyes closed, even as it was the longest song she knew.

"Another one, how many instruments do you have?"

"Just the three."

"Are you sure you don't want to play for Gil?" Aerith teased her, like a friend would. 'Yes, we are friends aren't we?' Aerith made it so easy to think that way.

Natalie nodded and played Empty on her Harmonica. That harmonica had survived two trips through Nibelheim now. And being thrown against the wall.

The other songs in her notes, were of forgotten origins. But 'Empty' was there, waiting to be written one day she had woken up from a dream of music. She still kept the lyrics that Genesis had helped her write. Finishing the last verse on her own since leaving Nibelheim. But the words she still kept to herself, for now.

Every song told a story, but Natalie wasn't sure who was singing to whom. Not that the lyrics mattered when she was playing the harmonica.

Natalie wanted to toss the whole song, but for now. She could play it the way she had imagined, on the harmonica. Another of her sad and melancholic songs, even without the words.

Aerith didn't clap when it was done. "It sounds sad."

"I'm sorry, it must be my mood. And the way I'm playing right now."

"No, it's okay."

Natalie put her harmonica away and lounged by the flowers. Looking up at the roof, she wondered if the church had ever had a harpsichord. The pews were still here. There were no traces of a piano in the room. But the rose window above the front door was intact.

'How long has it been since this place heard music, or people sang inside it?'

Between Aerith, the plants where nothing should grow. The church felt sacred. And Natalie had brought music into it.

Aerith spoke up first. "Do you like the flowers?"

"Yeah."

"You know, there's a whole language to flowers."

"I don't know it, but I know of it."

"Well, let me teach you, starting with these flowers."

"Okay."

"These are yellow lilies, they're symbols of reunion. Reunited lovers used to give them as gifts when they met again."

Natalie stilled her face at the sound of Jamie's voice again.

"There is no one else for you but me." Jamie used a cruel tone, instead of the remembered tenderness the last time Jamie had said that while alive.

"Erg." Natalie rubbed her temples, they had started to hurt again.

"Are you OK?" Aerith asked.

"I will be," Natalie said. She waved Aerith off and stood up. "I should go." Natalie was careful to not trample any flowers getting up. The pain in her head was receding as quickly as it had come.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?"

"I-" Natalie stopped herself. She did. "I do want to. But I don't want to ask for more than I already have…"

Aerith got up and tilted her head, "But what if you need more?"

"I- I don't-"

Aerith changed topics, "Is it the Turks? Are you still worried about them?"

"Hmm, too many know my face. I don't-" They wouldn't stop at the forty-ninth floor. Sephiroth was gone. It would be straight to the science lab for Natalie. "I don't want to talk about it."

Natalie settled the strap of her bag on her shoulder, "I'm sorry I should be going."

A flutter of wings came from above. Angeal's copy came down to land near them. Dropping a few feathers on the floor. "Hey," Natalie told it.

Aerith smiled, "You sure make friends fast."

"He reminds me of someone. Someone I lost."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Aerith sounded hopeful.

Natalie watched the creature as it peered up at her, it had eyes, and above the eyes were fold in it's forehead, Angeal's face was hidden in there. 'Why couldn't we be friends? Angeal.' "Yes, no. I-" Natalie sighed. "I think I miss what we didn't have."

The Angeal-copy came a little closer to Natalie.

Natalie looked up at Aerith, "We weren't really friends. And now he's gone." Natalie blew out her bangs, putting out a hand for the Angeal-copy. "Angeal could have been like an older brother. Now, there's only memories."

"Oh, you knew Angeal?"

The words interrupted Natalie thinking about Lazard. She wanted to kick herself for letting the name slip. Natalie sighed.

The Angeal-copy took a few steps and leapt back up into the rafters. Dropping a couple more feathers onto the floor.

Natalie picked one up, twisting the quill between her fingers. "Did you ever meet him?" Natalie asked.

"No, but I knew someone who knew him." Aerith sighed herself. Looking at the floor.

"Hmm."

"Your eyes." Aerith said.

Natalie put her goggles back on, "Yeah, they're eyes."

"Why do they look like that?"

Natalie licked her lips, "It's a long story."

Aerith walked around the edge of the flowers, "We have time."

Natalie shook her head, "I don't want to talk about how I got them."

"Got them?"

"They were changed. I don't- I don't like talking about it."

"But they did change."

"Yeah."

"What did they look like before?"

Natalie finally noticed how much Aerith was getting out of her. It didn't bother Natalie too much. There would not be many people she could talk about it with.

'Poor counter-interrogation skill.' Natalie remembered.

"They weren't green, with gray on the edges. They didn't used to look this bright." Natalie sighed.

"Do you miss the gray?"

"Every time I look in a mirror," she adjusted her goggles over her eyes. "But there's no going back. Only forward."

Natalie buckled her sword onto her waist.

"Aw, come on, you don't have to go forward yet. Stay here a little longer."

Natalie looked Aerith in the eyes, she wanted to before Aerith had said it. Her neck prickled at the thought that a Turk might be watching the church right now. She looked away.

"Not just anybody can change their eye color you know." Aerith said, walking around the flowers.

Natalie shrugged. "Mako can." She felt her hood rustle in the air. Turning, she didn't see anything.

"Mako?" Aerith said. "Are you a SOLDIER?"

"Was, I'm not anymore." Natalie could remember their tag line. 'Once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER.' She hated it.

"I've never met a woman from SOLDIER before."

Natalie shrugged, "There have been a few."

"Well, did you know any other SOLDIERs? Like among the guys?"

Natalie felt her mask settle back on her face. 'She knew Angeal… Oh, Zack. Where are you?'

"It was a long time ago. I'm sorry Aerith." Natalie looked away. "Most of the SOLDIERs I knew are gone."

"Oh, well..."

Natalie looked up at the ceiling, she had caught movement somewhere. Angeal's copy was settled down on a rafter. Natalie thought something else had moved up there, but it was gone. "I see that question on your face Aerith. Ask."

"What class were you Natalie?"

"Second."

"Did you know many in First class?"

Natalie felt a chill on her spine, there was definitely a wraith up by the roof. Looking around, there was part of a hood drifting along the floor between the pews, towards the flowers. Where Natalie and Aerith stood.

"Is something wrong Natalie?"

"Ask me that question again."

"Uh, did you know anyone in first class?"

"Some better than others." There were more of the things now. The longer she talked with Aerith, the more they appeared. Natalie looked at Aerith, the other woman hadn't noticed what was appearing all over the church.

Aerith went on, "OK, because there is this one SOLDIER I've been trying to contact for a while. Even write letters. But he hasn't answered any of them."

Natalie tried to look all around, to count how many wraiths had appeared.

"Zack, did you know a Zack Fair?"

Natalie shook her head. "I haven't seen him in years Aerith."

"Oh, that's okay. Neither have I." Aerith looked down at the flowers, the back up at Natalie. "Wait, you know him! When did you see him last?"

Marin shrugged. "It's been a while. I'm sorry. I don't know what he's up to. I'm sorry I'm not more help."

Aerith looked heart broken. Natalie wanted to ask her if she needed a hug.

Looking around the church, Natalie could see the wraiths floating away, dissolving.

For once, they didn't stop her from doing anything.

Natalie wanted to reach over to the other woman and close the gap. But she was too afraid. That she would never leave the sector. That the wraiths would come back. That once she opened up to really tell her story she wouldn't stop. That she would break her word to Elmyra.

Jamie's voice piped up. "I told you so. Marin."

Natalie shut her eyes to the voice. They stood in the quiet. Natalie tried not to think of Jamie.

"Natalie?"

Marin opened her eyes, she could hear Aerith's voice clearly. All the wraiths were gone.

Aerith was leaning down close-by. Looking Marin in the eyes. "Are you okay Natalie?"

Natalie looked away. "No." 'I'm losing my mind, not yet. Not yet.'

"Do you want to talk about it."

"Not really." A lie.

"Do you want to…play more music?"

"No." Natalie straightened, adjusting her sword belt.

"How about one more song?"

Natalie sighed, "I'm not in the mood for any more music today." She had crossed the line to feeling upset and too agitated for music to soother her.

"Well, maybe I could give it a try."

"Hmmm."

"If that's okay with you?"

Natalie shook her head. She wanted a break from her feelings.

Aerith suggested "What if you told me a story instead?"

"Hmm. I'm a bit tired for stories. And I'm not good at telling them."

"Not very good like your music?" Aerith asked.

"Worse. I don't practice storytelling."

"Well, you could practice on me."

Natalie shifted her sword so she could sit on one of the pews. "I'm getting a headache," At least that was the truth, "It's a bad time to start a story."

"Aww, well if you don't want to, that's okay."

Natalie lapsed into silence. 'Why here? Why haunt me now?' At least the wraiths were gone. She looked around for confirmation, not even a hood moving through the floor.

"Maybe I should head out." Natalie toyed with a strap on her pack.

"You don't have to go, not yet." Aerith sounded like she was convincing Natalie to hang around a little longer.

"I don't think it's safe." Natalie looked away, pretending to study the stained glass windows.

"For who?" Aerith asked.

"Either of us."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me." Aerith reassured her.

"Hmm." Natalie considered her next words, "I'm going to worry any way. And about myself" Natalie glanced at the front doors. "And the Turks."

Aerith's face became less readable, "Rude spooked you pretty bad."

"Hmm, I didn't come here to meet him."

"Then why did you come here?"

Natalie sighed, "There's trouble, outside of Midgar."

"What sort of trouble?"

Natalie shook her head, "It's a long story."

"I like long stories!" Aerith moved a little bit, clasping her hands with eagerness at the chance of a story.

Natalie rubbed one of her temples, "I'm not in a storytelling mood right now. But to keep it short. I came back to Midgar to avoid trouble. Pick and chose what trouble I'll live near. I guess."

"Back? You used to live here?"

"Yeah, when I was in SOLDIER."

"So you're worried that someone might recognize you?"

"Maybe they won't. But if they did, it'd be trouble. And I don't want to bring that to you, or your home."

Rude had come to ask Aerith something, he knew Aerith by name. They were that familiar with Aerith. Some other Turks were that familiar with Natalie. Even if they only knew 'Natalie' as Marin.

Aerith smiled, "you worry too much."

"I know." Natalie started getting up, "I just don't know how to stop." She dusted off her pants.

"Are you leaving?" Aerith pleaded, "not already…"

"Maybe go for a walk first." Natalie collected her things and picked up the feathers from earlier.

"I'll go with you." Aerith bounded onto her feet.

"Yeah, I sure."

"Did you want to go anywhere in particular?"

"Just get moving for now, clear my head."

"OK."

Natalie was distracted as they fought their way back to the rest of Sector Five. Not enough to put either of them in danger. But enough that, when they got out of the monster-infested part. that the people, and their greetings for Aerith, slid by Natalie. Anyone in dark clothes jolted her out of her stewing. But it was just dark pants or a top. Not the black suit of a Turk.

'I hear dead people, well I hallucinate one. But I'm just crazy. Aerith can't help me.' Natalie mulled over Jamie's voice, and hearing her old name. 'I'm going to have to not listen for my name, try to ignore it. In case it's Jamie again.'

Something bubbled in the crowd of the sector during the day. Natalie paid it no mind, it sounded like her mind was trying to make something random sound like her name.

Aerith tried to prod Natalie into idle chatter, or make her smile. As they walked around the Sector. The only thing that cleared Natalie's mind of her darker mood today was fighting. And the few things crawling out of the refuse near the church were hardly a challenge. It was a momentary distraction, compared to other places. Once the adrenalin drained away Natalie's thoughts crept back up on her.

Aerith didn't want Natalie to leave, and convinced her to stay. Or she tried to.

Natalie was afraid. She could confront her fears, unless they were wraiths. The things came and went as they pleased. Everything else she had faced had been over come, somehow. But the wraiths didn't talk and couldn't be reasoned with. Natalie made no real impact fighting them. Then they came and went as they pleased.

Natalie figured that the wraiths were another crazy image. Conjured from her guilt and cowardice. She kept to herself as they walked the Sector.

"Aerith! Aerith Aerith!" the kids crowded around Aerith. They were back at the Leaf House.

Natalie smiled, she didn't feel it reach her eyes. But it was good to see the kids happy here.

None of them looked hungry or tired. They liked Aerith, they got along with the teachers. Natalie didn't see even one kid off in the corner looking lonely or making trouble. The place was part orphanage part school, with a community center for the elderly nearby.

And there were plants everywhere.

'Figures, the path to Aerith's house is nearby, and goes around behind this place.'

There was green plants taller than Natalie, growing out of cracks, out of edges in the walls. Crates filled with earth for a lot garden. The kids here might be so healthy looking for having vegetables in their diet. On top of whatever else they could get the kids from donations.

While Aerith was trying to play with the kids and pull Natalie in. Natalie went inside on the pretext of using the bathroom.

She had noticed a donation slot built into the wall by the front desk. Natalie had several hidden pockets in her coat now. As well as her joey-bag under her shirt. The bag hidden under her shirt, hid most of her Gil and extra Materia. So that fast hands could never steal everything. But it meant she needed to privacy of a toilet stall, to fish out some of her Gil.

While the reception desk was unmanned, Natalie could hear people in the classroom, and outside. It was nearly lunchtime. Which gave Natalie a moment alone to shove the Gil into the donation box as quickly as she could. 'Whatever, ten-thousand Gil. I still have tens of thousands left. Anyway, it's for the kids.' Natalie had never been so flush with money, until she had left Midgar before.

The Leaf house ran on donations. And going by the prices in the Market. That donation would get them along way, for clothes and food. Unless they wanted to buy real swords or Materia for the kids.

Natalie was finished shoving the last Gil note in the box when a voice spoke up behind her.

"I haven't seen you around here before."

Natalie clenched her jaw, she had let some guy sneak up behind her because of her mood. Fixing her mask of stillness on her face. Natalie turned around to face the man behind her.

A man with extra ammo clips on his utility belt. Natalie didn't see the sidearm that matched it right away. He had dark hair and dark eyes, under a red headband. With military green shirt and shorts, armored shoes and no other apparent weapons. He looked like trouble, or was ready for it.

"I'm new in town." Natalie told him. She felt him glance her over in a similar way, sizing each other up. 'Wait, red headband? Why don't I remember what that means…'

"Oh yeah?" He said.

Natalie stuck her right hand out, before it became any more awkward. "I'm Natalie."

"Biggs." He shook it giving it the sort of squeeze she would expect from a guy, looking eyes with her.

She squeezed back, hard enough to not grind his finger bones.

"Huh," Biggs shook his hand out, "That's some arm you got there. You know how to use that?" he gestured with his head towards the sword.

"Mm-hmm." She agreed.

"Biggs!" Someone called from the classroom deeper inside the Leaf House. "Are you coming?"

He shouted back "Just a minute!". Looking back at Natalie, he was still appraising her.

Her coat sleeves were a little long, to fit around her shoulders and hips. Along with her pants, everything was loose enough to be a little baggy and obscure her muscles, making her look thiner than strong. But the loose clothing gave her room to move, to fight.

"Natalie, do you have a place yet?"

"Not yet. Just came in yesterday."

The voice called again from the classroom "Biggs!"

"Just a sec!" He turned back to Natalie. "Do you mind hanging around a bit? The kids need me."

"Yeah, sure."

Biggs started off down the hall, "Don't go far." He left her alone by the front desk.

"I'll be outside." She called back to him.

Aerith was happy for Natalie meeting someone.

Biggs and Aerith were regulars at the Leaf House. They weren't friends. But they were friendly to each other.

And Biggs wanted to introduce Natalie, and her sword, to some friends of his in another Sector.

Aerith was doing a good job to hiding her disappointment from everyone else, but Natalie.

Biggs came to the Leaf House every week or so. He was glad to find Natalie an easy sell to follow him back to sector Seven, when skills like Natalie's would be useful to the neighborhood watch.

Natalie wasn't happy about leaving Aerith behind either. But being near Aerith meant being near the Turks.

"I hate good-byes." Natalie told Aerith. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah."

"I'm not leaving Midgar, I'll be nearby." Now Natalie was reassuring Aerith.

They waved to each other and that was it. Feeling as heart broken as Aerith looked. Natalie followed Biggs out of sector five.

"I didn't know there were secret ways around the city." Natalie looked around them. "But I don't know the normal ways around yet either."

"Not many people do. But with you here. We can just waltz across Sector Six. You do know how to use that right?" He pointed with the hand that wasn't holding his gun. His gun holster was in the small of his back.

Natalie rolled up her left sleeve to show the Materia armlet she had strapped under her coat sleeve. "The sword and then some. If the monsters around here are anything like the one's in the wasteland, we'll be fine." Once Biggs had a good look of her slotted Materia, she dropped her sleeve back down.

"Yeah, I think you'll do fine in the Watch."

"Hmm." She drew her sword, following Biggs' lead for expecting trouble.

Where there was construction refuse around the Church in the last sector. Biggs and Natalie had to go through gaps in the piles and piles of wreckage that was sector six. The morning light that had shone through the gap down to sector five was all sky, above them here.

Natalie felt better seeing the blue sky directly overhead, from behind her goggles. The natural sunlight felt better than the sun lamps too. She liked the part out of doors where she was under the sun. Especially when she didn't have to camp around here.

When the dust settled from another ambush, Natalie heard Biggs behind her.

"Ah, fuck." Biggs cursed where one of the giant rat-things had gnawed above his armored boots.

Natalie had focused on cutting others down when one of them had gotten behind her

"I got it." Natalie had had a long morning, but she had more than enough magic energy to keep Biggs in fighting shape.

"Useful." He told her, testing his leg again "And was that a red summon Materia I saw on there?"

"Yeah."

"I've hardly seen you cast any magic at all yet."

"It hasn't been necessary." It had only taken a few swipes of the sword to take out anything they had come across so far. Natalie stopped to listen for anything else that might crawl out and attack them. They proceeded on when nothing else appeared.

"No, I guess not." He looked like he wanted to ask Natalie something.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's not everyday that I cross paths with someone with a kit like yours."

"What are you getting at Biggs?"

"Well, I wanted to wait until we got to where we're going. But I don't want to keep you."

Natalie gestured with her free hand to keep Biggs from moving down the path. Something was coming from around the corner towards them. Natalie found not one but three of the things that stood up on a tentacle, with three-fingered hands.

At first, she had bitten off more than she could chew. As she took one out, all three of them ganged up on her. Biggs was more a minor distraction with his gun.

"Aw shit!" He cried as Natalie went down.

Natalie tucked into a roll and was back up after her revive Materia did it's work. She had let the monsters get close because she knew it would discharge. She just had to watch out for anything that silenced her, which would have cut off the magic from working. "I got it." She reassured Biggs, as she finished the take down of one of the monsters.

"What was that?" He cried as he focused his shots on one of the remaining creatures. Natalie kept the things trained on her, and now that there were two of them, they went down much faster. "I thought I'd already lost ya."

"You saw right." She told him as the last monster went down. "It's one of my tricks."

"What was it? The magic went off without you even doing anything."

"It's the purple Materia. It's a rare one." She fought much more viciously, not letting these monsters get another chance to take her down.

"I gotta get one of those."

"Good luck." She told him, "No seriously. Final attack Materia doesn't grow on trees."

"Is that what you think Materia comes from?" He asked with disbelief.

Marin shook her head, "Never mind, it's just a joke."

"Anyway." Biggs continued. As they stood over the trouble that was now no longer a threat. "I don't want to keep it from you anymore."

Marin snapped off a couple of cure spells on herself. In case of another ambush like the last one, she was no longer being miserly with her magic. "Yeah?"

"The err, the neighborhood watch isn't a paying gig." He implored her, "But don't get me wrong. We'd love to have you."

"Hmm." Natalie wiped her sword clean and put her sword back in it's sheath. She didn't see anything else moving towards them. "I think I can handle that, but I'd like a job that pays eventually."

Biggs looked more relieved then crushed.

"Don't look at me like that." She told him, "I mean, like a waitress or something. When I'm not on the Watch." She looked up at the roof of the ruined expressway. "I know how to sling drinks." 'It's been years, I'd have to relearn it all.' Her waitress job in Sanford felt like a lifetime ago. "Anyway, I', not hurting for gil right now."

Biggs didn't look convinced.

"It's not about the Gil, Biggs."

"Yeah, but a little can make things easier."

"And a lot can make it even easier." As far as she knew, a lot was what she had hidden on her person. Which would last a lot longer if she managed to juggle the Watch with something that paid.

"Yeah, but serving drinks doesn't exactly pay a lot."

Natalie shrugged as they continued through the sector. She didn't have an answer. Before SOLDIER, her waitress job at the bar had never paid a lot. Her and Danny had merely survived on their combined wages. Over time they were actually losing money, a lot had changed since then. Danny, Gil, SOLDIER.

Natalie lapsed into silence, finding relief from her own thoughts in the fighting. They made it to sector seven right before nightfall.