(Author's Note: Hello! Before you read this please read my story called From Darkness to Light. You'll have more of an idea as to what happened before this that way. Thank you and now on to the first chapter of To Return to Love! Enjoy! Please R/R!)

Disclaimer: Aeris and Sephiroth are not mine and neither is Kalm. They belong to FF7 which belongs to Squaresoft not me!

Chapter 1

Happy News

-1 year later after the destruction of Meteor-

The morning sun slowly peeked up from over the distant hills. The dark sky of night began to fade along with the stars. The early morning rays were red and gold and bathed everything in light chasing away the shadows of the past night. The sleepy town was slow to begin the process of waking up. The houses were still dark inside but the sun's light seeped in through the windows. After awhile the town began to stir as people began to rise and get ready for the start of a new day.

The keepers of shops began the trip to the store to open for the day. People gathered their lists and made the short trip to those stores to buy their food and other items. Soon the sun had fully risen and on the streets were people with many things to do on their mind before the sun set that evening.

But in one house nothing was moving yet. This house was newly built by about a year. It was white with maroon colored shutters on both sides of the windows. There was a porch that wrapped around this side of it and ended with a swing. Between the porch and the sidewalk that led to the house there was a flower garden. There were many different kinds of flowers some that opened with the sun and others that open all year around. A bird bath was next to where the porch turned a corner.

Slowly sleep left him as his mako green eyes began to open. He didn't move yet though. She was still asleep next to him. His angel. He looked down at where her head rested against his chest. He smiled to himself. He never would have thought that this would happen. Never would have dreamed that she would love him as she did after his bout of madness.

He held her tighter as he thought about all he had done and what she had done for him. He also wondered as to how they were still alive after everything was done. It puzzled him to no end but yet even she didn't know if her people, her race, had anything to do with their being alive. He held a strand of her long golden brown hair in his hand and twirled it around his fingers. She let out a contented sigh and fell into a deeper slumber.

"Aeris?" he asked softly.

"Mmmm…Sephiroth," she said as she was roused and opened her soft emerald green eyes.

"Why don't you stay here and I'll make breakfast," he said as he started to get up.

"Oh no! I'll get it!" she said sitting up.

"No let me," he said.

"No I'll get it," she said standing up and going to the closet to pick out her clothes for the day.

"No really I'll do it," he said standing and stretching.

"Really Sephiroth. We've already remodeled the kitchen once this month because of the last time you cooked," she said jokingly.

"Why Aeris I'm hurt," he said with fake hurt in his voice.

She smiled and shook her head then picked up her brush and began to run it through her hair. When that was done she pulled in back into a braid and tied it with a pink ribbon.

"I'll make breakfast," she said once she was dressed.

He nodded in defeat as he went to the closet to get his own clothes for the day. She left the room for the kitchen. He watched her as she left. She wore a light pink shirt with sleeves that went to her elbows and fit her perfectly. She wore a pair of white pants with the same color pink pattern of roses at the bottom. The room's door closed softly behind her.

He turned back to dressing himself. He selected a sleeveless black shirt and put it on. He also selected a pair of black slacks. He got a button up long sleeved black shirt and put it on over his over one but didn't button it. He picked up his own brush and brushed out his long silver hair. He then left the bedroom and walked into the living room.

The living room was big and spacious. It had 2 forest green chairs with flower patterns facing the main door. There was a brown and red couch with a pattern of leaves on it against the wall on the right of the door. Opposite the couch was a black piano. He walked over to it and ran his hand over it. Next to the piano was the staircase that led to the finished basement.

The sounds of Aeris humming came from the kitchen in the next room. The smells of her cooking drifted into the living room after a few minutes. Sephiroth smiled and sat down at the piano.

Aeris hummed to herself as she went about her cooking. A melody drifted into the room from the living room. It was the same tune that she was humming. She smiled to herself as Sephiroth continued to play and she hummed along. She looked around the kitchen.

It was white with a pink stencil border just below the ceiling. There was a handmade wooden table in front of 3 windows that had pink curtains trimmed in white lace. In one of the places at the table was a potted plant. Aeris smiled again as she filled a glass with water and poured it into the pot.

She put the glass down next to the sink and closed her eyes as she stopped humming and listened to the song being played in the other room. She turned back to her cooking.

"Breakfast is ready," she whispered in his ear a few minutes later from where she stood behind him.

He leaned back against her as he stopped playing the song. He turned his head to look at her and gave her a quick kiss. She blushed and stepped back as he stood. He smiled and shook his head as he followed her into the kitchen and sat down at the table. They ate in comfortable silence.

After breakfast Aeris went outside to work on her flower garden and Sephiroth left to hunt out monsters that still threatened the area. He didn't come back until later in the afternoon. She had just finished her work outside when he rode the gold chocobo up to the house.

"Have a good day?" she asked with a smile.

"It was alright. Didn't find much. Most of the monsters in the area are gone because of me," he said with a shrug.

"Oh well. This town is the closest to what remains of Midgar so there will probably be more monsters to come maybe not today but there will be more," she said looking around the small town of Kalm.

"Yeah but I can handle them," Sephiroth said as he led the chocobo around to the shed in which they kept him.

"It's about time so I'll start dinner," she called after him.

"But I want to," he turned and smiled at her.

"No I'll do it," she said brushing dirt off her pants.

"But…"

"No Sephiroth. It's okay really. I can do it just fine," she said.

"Okay. Have it your way," shaking his head he took the chocobo to the shed and groomed it. The chocobo warked softly at the feel of the brush on his feathers. Sephiroth laughed to himself and continued to brush him until the chocobo looked like he might fall asleep. He made sure it had plenty of greens and fresh water then went into the house to get cleaned up for dinner.

After dinner Sephiroth was sitting in one of the green chairs while Aeris sat at the piano playing a tune. He was reading the news paper and listening to her playing the soft melody.

"Anything new today?" she asked as she ended the song.

"No…not that I can tell," he said as he turned a page.

"Oh well. This is a small town so not much will happen that we don't know about," she shrugged.

"But this might get your attention. 'Committee headed by ex-Shinra employee Reeve has been given permission to rebuild Midgar. More on page 4.' That sounds interesting," he said looking at her.

"It does. Maybe they need help. That's what you could do! You could help get rid of the monsters there! I'm sure he would be happy to let you help!" she said.

"Sure…after all I've…"

"Don't start thinking about it. You get all depressed when you do," she said standing and walking over to him.

He folded the newspaper up and set it aside as she sat down in his lap. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Neither spoke for a few minutes.

"Since we were talking about news…I have some for you," she said opening her eyes.

"Oh?" he said playing with a few strands of her hair.

"Yeah," she said and raised her head so she could see his face.

"What is it?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and let go of her hair.

For a moment she just looked at her lap with her head bowed.

"Aeris?" he asked concerned about her lack of answer.

She looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm pregnant," she said.

For a second he just watched her. Then he looked out the window in the front door not saying anything.

"Sephiroth?" she asked timidly.

"You're pregnant…" a smile slowly spread across his face and she relaxed. He looked at her.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"I think I love you more than ever," he whispered and buried his face against her neck.

"And I love you too," she said and held him tight.

"I'm happy Aeris. Now my life will be complete," he said.

"I'm glad," she said.

He leaned back away from her to get a better look at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. Can't I just look at you?" he asked.

"Oh you," she said and hit the side of his face playfully.

He laughed and stood up with her in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she demanded as she threw her arms around his neck.

"What's it look like? I'm carrying you," he said.

"Put me down!" she said.

"Nope," he replied.

"Sephiroth!"

"Yes Aeris?"

"Oh fine," she grumbled and let him carry her.

"There," he laughed as he set her down on the foot of the bed. She crossed her arms with an annoyed look on her face. He kept laughing.

"You're just mad that I won that little disagreement," he said shaking his head.

"So what if I am?" she asked but couldn't help from smiling.

"See! You can't stay mad at me," he stated.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You're hopeless. Always getting what you want…"

"I haven't gotten everything yet," he said softly sitting down next to her.

"No…not yet. That's right," she said as he leaned closer to her.

"But in a few months time that will change," he said.

"It will," she said as he pushed her back down on the bed.

"I love you," he said.

"And I you," she said as he kissed her.

He pulled back and looked at her.

"Aeris?"

"Yes?" she asked opening her eyes.

"Stay with me forever," he said.

"Why do you say that? You know I will," she said giving him a confused look.

"I…just want to be sure. I know we've been over this but…I just feel…" she put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I'll always be with you. No matter what. Always," she said softly.

"Promise?"

"You're acting like a little kid you know that. Gosh now I'm worried about how our child will act but yes…I promise," she said.

He gave her a soft smile and kissed her again.

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