Chapter 3 - Betrayal

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Someone told me that love will all save us, but how can that be? Look what love gave us..."

 (Chad Kroger and Josey Scott - Hero)

~*~

Aeris Gainsborough looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and sighed. She didn't know what was wrong with her these days; she seemed to act so erratic. But she knew that her behaviour towards Cloud was reasonable because of the way she felt. It was driving him away from her, but she didn't see like that; she made it look like an attempt to get more from their relationship, but Cloud just wasn't responding... Aeris knew he was depressed and believed that she didn't love him anymore. Maybe she had gone a bit far in the last argument; the prospect of marrying him wouldn't be such a bad idea if she felt like she had when she accepted his proposal. Then, it was the best thing in the world. She knew why she had accepted; because she was in love with him.

Was it possible to fall out of love with someone so quickly? Aeris hadn't thought it possible. Especially not with her darling Cloud. But the novelty, if you could call it that, of being with Cloud had began to wear off. Aeris felt her heart and her mind aching for someone else, someone who occupied her thoughts all the time even whilst she was in Cloud's arms. It wasn't her fault that he reminded her of Zack so much... Zack had been her first and one true love. That love hadn't faded with time.

It became so apparent to Aeris that Cloud wasn't Zack as she began to get used to living with him. She became confused about her feelings; she knew Zack was alive somewhere. So she yearned for him and felt herself pushing Cloud away.

And then it happened; she met Zack again. She began sneaking out to see him, and when she got back she couldn't bear to see Cloud, let alone touch him. She felt trapped in this relationship; it wasn't the right thing for her. She knew she couldn't marry Cloud. She couldn't stand it. She knew it wasn't fair on Cloud; even so she got annoyed with his attempts to make up. She loved Zack with all her soul; she knew now that the love she had had for Cloud was an extension of that love.

She didn't want to be Aeris Strife; all she wanted was to be with Zack. So she felt herself becoming ever more bitchy and snappy with Cloud, so much that he turned away, and it seemed, from tonight's actions, Cloud had gone into Tifa's arms.

Aeris didn't understand why she still felt jealous at the thought of Cloud and Tifa; maybe it was because they were meant to be with each other yet Aeris had won Cloud's heart from Tifa. Tifa still held a grudge; as much as she tried to put a face on it. Aeris knew she had beaten her former best friend and won all that she had, leaving Tifa with a broken spirit. That victory was something she didn't really want to give up. She knew she was being selfish, and couldn't have both worlds. Of course she had had both Zack and Cloud for a while now, she thought and giggled. Poor naive Cloud. Of course, no one expected it from sweet little Aeris. Even Zack had been surprised, and a bit guilty for going behind his former best friends back with his fiancée, but Zack and Cloud hadn't met since Nibelheim; Aeris had made sure of that.

Everyone was going to be surprised when she twisted things so that Cloud looked to be the one to blame. She was thought of as such a sweet personality; someone who would never hurt anyone willingly. That part of her seemed to have died with one stab of Sephiroth's blade. Nobody would think she was a Cetra, the way she acted now - she was such a bitch! Aeris laughed out loud "Well, guess what..." she whispered. "I'm not little innocent Aeris anymore..."

Aeris turned and walked out of the bathroom, her long silver nightdress swirling around her ankles. She stood brushing her hair in the mirror in the hall for a minute, then walked towards the room she shared with Cloud. Her green eyes flashed with a deep passion, such as had not been shown in the last few months; at least, not to who everyone expected. She giggled softly at the thought that this was Cloud's house she was in; all this was Cloud's. The furniture was Cloud's; the pictures on the wall were Cloud's. The big bed in the centre of the room was Cloud's. The bed she climbed into with a huge smile, settling down next to her lover. As she kissed him passionately, the hair that ran through her hands was long black spikes, not blonde.

~*~

Tifa Lockheart woke up in the middle of the night. Yawning and looking over at her clock, she saw that it was nearly 5. She lay back again on her soft pillow and wondered what had woken her up. Than she realised.

She heard one quiet sob after another. Cloud was trying not to cry loud enough that she would hear, but failing... Tifa's heart was breaking for him. He was a broken man, all because of that slut who he loved more than anything. Tifa knew she would be somewhere with that damn Zack at this moment. She knew that deep down, Cloud knew the same. Once again, Tifa wished she could get her hands around Aeris's damn neck. But that wasn't going to help Cloud at this moment.

Tifa stretched and slid out of bed. She crept across the room and sat down on Cloud's bed. He was lying face down, his whole body racked with sobs that were taking him over. Tifa felt like crying herself. It was torture to see him like this. She clambered under the sheets and lay next to him. He lifted his head and looked at her with those devastated eyes that shed a gentle glow on the pillow. Gentle, like his soul. She put her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her. Cloud buried his head in her hair. No words were needed. They knew they were there for each other when things were the worst; for Cloud this was the time he needed Tifa to comfort him. Tifa's actions showed him she cared. She stared up at the ceiling.

After a while, Cloud fell asleep in Tifa's arms. But she stayed awake, staring daggers at the lightshade. She would get revenge for the hurt inflicted on the man she loved.