Disclaimer: You guys know the drill.
Summary: Cloud goes in search for his one true love.
Rating: PG-13
"This is my December
Those are my snow covered trees
This is me pretending
This is all I need"
-Linkin
Park, 'My December'
Cloud stood on the cliff overlooking the snow covered
village of Nibelheim. The snow on the ground sparkled like millions of
diamonds as the sun pierced them. Their beauty enchanted him as he stared
down at the snowy town below. He could see his friends playing in the snow;
Yuffie and Vincent building a snowman, Tifa and Marlene having a snowball
fight against Cid and Barret. For a moment he smiled, but soon remembered
the letter he held in his hand. It was from Aeris, dated from June when
she married Seth. Now, in December, it seemed so far away when he had gotten
the letter.
He had stood, dumbfounded, for at least twenty
minutes, wondering why she had sent the letter. Was it to break his heart
all over again, when it had not even had time to fix itself from her running
away with Seth? Had she just needed to tell him that she could never love
him as much as she loved Seth? It always came back to Seth somehow. He
was always the reason she could not be with Cloud. Perhaps if he were to
get rid of Seth, than could she be his? Not since his experience with Sephiroth
telling Cloud that he was not a real person had he so many questions.
All of them needed to be answered. He had to find Aeris.
"What the hell are you talking about, boy?" Cid
Highwind asked Cloud when the leader had told the pilot his intentions.
Cloud took a deep sigh and repeated himself once again, not just for Cid,
but for the whole group.
"I think Aeris is at Icicle Village. Where else
would she go?" Cloud said, looking around the room. The others all obviously
did not agree with Cloud.
"Try: anywhere on the whole damn planet," Barret
Wallace said loudly over everyone else's whining. Cloud shook his head
in disagreement.
"No, I think she went to the only other place
besides the slums she ever felt at home. That would be Icicle Village."
"Are you sure about that, Cloud?" Yuffie Kisaragi
asked with genuine concern. Cloud looked at her, eyes blazing with hope
and nodded his head harshly, his blond hair bobbing.
"I'm positive. I can feel it. It's almost like
she knew that I would know she was there when she sent me this letter,"
Cloud replied, holding the envelope which contained the letter inside.
"Not the damn latter again," Cid muttered near
the back of the Operation room onboard the Highwind. He took a long drag
off of his cigarette and blew several rings of smoke out of his mouth,
into the air. Cloud hit the top of the long oak desk in frustration, receiving
the full attention of all in the room.
"I'm going with or without you," Cloud finally
said. Vincent Valentine, being the voice of reason stood from his chair
behind the long table. He cleared his throat to catch Cloud's attention.
"Are you sure you wish to corrupt Aeris's happiness
by finding her? If she wished to be found, she would herself let us know
where she was," Vincent questioned. Cloud thought for a moment on what
Vincent had asked. The dark man sat back down in his chair and waited patiently
for Cloud to answer his query.
"I just want to make sure she is happy. You of
all people, Vincent should know why I'm doing this," Cloud answered. Whether
or not the answer pleased the mysterious man was unfound. Vincent kept
a strait face while Cloud talked. The smallest of smiles found their way
to Vincent's lips as he did realize just why Cloud wanted to find Aeris:
he wanted her back.
The Highwind flew over the snow covered land, landing
just out side of its destination. Tifa Lockheart threw a rope down the
side of the airship to climb down and started down, Cloud closely following.
The others began their own decent down the rope latter. Cloud fell with
a soft crunch of snow beneath his feet. He surveyed the small town, looking
for any sign of Aeris. He did not have to look far. She stood outside of
her father and mother's house, building a snowman with Seth. The wind from
their landing must have caught the couple's attention, they were staring
at the group as they entered the village.
"Cloud, what are you doing here?" Aeris asked,
taking a place next to Seth, whom could only stared at the new arrivals.
Cloud could mearly fall to his knees, tears attempting to escape the side
of his eyes.
"I've come to beg for for the forgivness of an
angel," Cloud answered, voice wavering. Aeris could only stand, shocked
by Cloud's sudden emotional plea.
"What?"
"For the life of me, I never meant to make you
runaway without telling your friends where you were going. I never meant
for you to die," he grabbed her hand and pressed his forehead against the
back of it, "I beg of you, fair angel, grant me your forgivness."
"Oh, Cloud," Aeris managed to say. The tears fell
free down Cloud's cheeks as he brought his head up to look into her eyes.
Seth, like the others, stared at the leader of Avalanche attempt forgiveness
from Aeris.
"Please, Aeris, don't leave," Cloud begged. She
began to cry silently.
"I forgive you, Cloud," Her gaze changed to Seth,"
If my husband doesn't mind, I think he and I should join the group again,"
Aeris said. Her eyes pleaded with Seth. Cloud's plan was going just as
he wanted it too. Now the good proffessor just had to agree.
"If it's important to you, dear," Seth said with
a sigh. Cloud smiled to himself. The scientist, meanwhile, took his wife
into his arms in a warm embrace as Cloud picked himself off the ground.
The silver haired man in a parka invited the group in as Cloud dusted himself
off.
The group climed up the slick stairs, Seth helping Aeris
up them. Cloud was close behind her, too close for Seth's comfort. Now
Cloud had all the time in the world to get the beautiful flower girl back.
The wind blew Aeris's long brown hair into the
night. It was chilly outside, but she wore her parka tightly around her
for warmth. She still could not believe that Cloud, the handsome, young
mercinary who cried for nothing had cried to get her back on his team.
For him to do that he must have really wanted her back. She twisted some
of her hair around her bare fingers, it was cold against her skin. Suddenly
she was aware there was another presence outside with her.
"You'll freeze out her," the soft voice belonging
to Cloud came. He stood beside her, looking up at the stars. She could
see his smokey breath wisp away in the wind. He did not look at her, only
at the stars. The December sky was filled with bright stars and a quarter
moon far to the east. Aeris could see the moon seep into his eyes, reflecting
back at her. After minutes of looking at the sky, he turned to face her.
"This is your Decmber, you know," Aeris said.
Cloud gave her a puzzled look that she giggled at.
"How's that, exactly?''
"Your star. There's a star named Strife that's
only in the sky during December. Therefore, it's your month," Aeris explained
as best she could. She had read it in old papers her father had left behind.
Cloud stared into her eyes, completely facinated by the darkend orbs. He
moved ever so closer to her; inch by inch. His warmth spread across her
entire body in a sudden flash. His lips touched hers softly against hers.
Cloud could taste the strawberries she had eaten before going outside.
Cloud snaked his arms carefully around her, pressing
her closer than she had ever been before. Aeris could smell his aftershave.
It was the same kind Seth used. Seth! Aeris's mind scrame to her.
She pushed away, almost reluctantly from Cloud. How could she kiss him?
How could she betray Seth?
"I can't do this," Aeris simply said and raced
inside the comfort of her home. Cloud stood alone in the bitter cold with
a smile drenched across his face. Check and mate. He could not help
but think. Aeris was all ready begining to realize she should be with him.
His paln was going smoothly. Why wouldn't it be?
"After all," he said to the darkness, "This is
my december."
To Be Continued...
Author's Note: So, what do you think? Read and review,
please. Tell me, what do you think should happen? Tune in for an all new
adventure.
