"Cloud!"

He's there. Right in front of me with those ridiculous gravity-defying spikes of his - but I just can't get through to him! Who knew such a wild head could be so dense. He's just stood there, motionless with his head held high as if looking at something approaching. But I can't see anything - apart from the crumbling ceiling that is.

"Cloud!"

My voice is much louder this time; somehow I can even hear myself over the thundering of the crumbling rocks. But still I get no response from him. Can't he feel the ground shaking? Everyone else has already fled to higher and safer ground, all except me. I can't leave. There is one person still here that no matter what, I can't leave behind - the boy from Nibelheim.

I had known, the minute I saw him that there was something special about him. I was only young, and so I didn't know what my heart was trying to tell me. As we grew into teenagers, I knew my eyes saw more than a friend in him whenever I dreamed of the boy who got away. Over time, as my heart grew with my maturity, my emotions for Cloud grew too, until I realised the twinges in my heart I felt every time I spoke to or saw him were much more complicated than just simple flutters.

Thinking back to when he left Nibelheim to join SOLDIER, watching him walk away was what it took for me to actually lift my head up enough to acknowledge him. I'd been so stupid before, so selfish. I could have allowed Zangan to pulverise me on the spot for being so stupid. And believe me, I was tempted to ask him to. He in fact offered I battled a session against a teenager in our class. And I just ignorantly went ahead thinking I was good enough.

When I lost, badly, he taught me my first real lesson – Never underestimate how much you could lose.

And that was when it hit me. I had lost a piece of my whole life by letting Cloud walk away because I was too damn proud to let him in.

I didn't stop crying for the rest of that day, for hours and hours on end. I was confused, why did I take so long to realise I loved him? Why, did I have to wait until I lost him to know? Everyone had tried to coax me out of my room, my father, and my friends. But all I wanted was my hero back.

My Cloud.

I loved him then and I love him now. More than anything in the world. Though I never got anything in way of return. Not a smidgen of a hint that he felt the same way. And I know deep down that he never will. I also know I deserve it for doing the exact same to him all those years ago. But I didn't know what love was back then. By the time my maturity allowed me to feel it he was already gone.

The moment that I realised he never went through the same realisation for me was when Cloud was sat atop a certain kids slide in the slums back in Midgar.

With the beautiful Aeris.

I was riding in the chocobo led cart headed for Don Corneo's, ready to degrade myself to becoming some worthless floozy, all in aid of the recent AVALANCHE mission. I was still numb from witnessing my hero fall to what was seemingly his death, and didn't care what was ahead.

I raised my head as the chocobo cart drove through the looming metal gateway up ahead…My heart nearly choked me as it jumped into my throat in relief. Time seemed to stop for a few seconds. There he was, clear as day, alive!

'But wait…who's…?' Then the whole scene dawned on me. My eyes silently watched the two of them. The two lovers sharing a moment together. The captivating beauty was smiling at Cloud, and he was gazing at her like she was the most precious wonder to behold.

I couldn't breathe.

Suddenly the woman's gaze fell on me as I snapped back to reality. Soon after, Cloud, looking confused turned to look at what Aeris was gawping at. His mouth fell open in shock as he saw me. Our eyes locked for a split second. He must have seen the overwhelming sadness in my eyes because he looked at me with visible pain and concern – almost shame - in his deep mako blue orbs. Then it was all over as my new saviour, my chariot, the chocobo cart carried me out of there, with Cloud's voice ringing out behind me as I fled, calling out my name. I was totally numb. First came the shock of it all. Then my anger that Cloud, the only person I had or ever will love had fallen for a flower girl.

It sounded like a fairytale, everyone in their rightful place. The troubled lone wolf discovered by the embrace of the innocent heroine from the slums. While the wicked witch was carried off to the whorehouse to degrade herself.

And then…the grief came. By the time I had reached and been shown into the Honey Bee inn I was in tears.

The working girls in the Inn had to fix me up with fresh make-up and comfort me best they could before I was fit to be shown to the Don. It took a good hour before I steadied myself. I had poured my heart out to these complete strangers whom, surprisingly, had shown kindness to me. I felt sorry for them having to work like this just to survive. They were clearly smart, caring women who deserved better. But I had them to thank for coming to my senses at last. They told it like it was and said I should let this 'asshole' as they named Cloud go. And that he and the 'cheap poxy flower girl' as they named Aeris suited each other. Also they told me I was better than both of them. I didn't agree but it made me realise I should be happy for Cloud.

And I genuinely was.

I couldn't refrain from letting out the odd childish outburst at times over their pairing, but I managed to hide my love for Cloud really well as I had my whole life, and Aeris became one of my best friends in the world. There is only one thing I share with Cloud that keeps us bonded together, and I cherish it more than anything.

Our promise.

That's why I'm still here in the heart of the crumbling Northern Crater. I love Cloud, and I will never abandon my hero to suffer, not as long as I live because I know he would never let me come to harm. As I scream his name I know he cannot hear me, and I know that I could die here any moment now. A piece of the rough ceiling suddenly falls too close for comfort and I step back, looking up. What began as crumbling rocks are now falling boulders. The ground is collapsing beneath my feet.

But I don't care about me. All I care about is him, reaching him.

I keep my eyes focused on his form, standing clear as day before me, completely un-phased by his surroundings. It's becoming almost too difficult to stand upright now, and I can see he is unsteady, though he is managing to stand still in what is now his – fighting stance!

"Cloud what are you doing!" I shout with all my effort to try and be heard above the noise. I obviously fail as his eyes narrow and he looks straight ahead of him at what could only be something Cloud hated more than anything in the world judging by the anger in his eyes.

But what the hell is it? I can't see anything up there apart from the equally confused faces of my comrades sitting high above. I can guess what Barrett is yelling at Cloud – though thankfully even his cursing is drowned out by the noise of the debris.

Suddenly, Cloud raises his mighty Ultima Sword high above his head and at the top of his lungs, lets out an ear-splitting roar of anger, before throwing himself at his invisible enemy. What the hell is he doing? There is nothing there! Well whatever Cloud thinks it is, it doesn't stand a chance. By the way he's slashing his sword down brutally in his violent omnislash sword routine, it obviously is a dead opponent now, whoever it was.

" Clo – Ah!" Dammit what was that? I just came down hard on the ledge as the harsh ground movements knocked me off balance.

With great effort, I struggle to my feet, my arms flailing as I try to balance myself again. The ceiling really is caving in now – fast. The whole structure is collapsing. "Cloud this isn't the time to be fighting invisible men! Wait…what is he doing now?" I blink hard and open my eyes again to check I aren't seeing things. I'm not.

Cloud is standing completely calmly, raising his hand up in the air. A boulder just misses smashing into his arm by a mere inch. Gods that made me cringe. What has gotten into him? Wait a minute, he's…smiling?

The ground beneath me increases into a violent shake.

His face is definitely smiling!

"Argh!" I shout, as my body is tossed repeatedly, inches off the ground with every shake. It's as if a powerful quake spell has been set on the ground.

Who, what is he looking at? There is nothing there.

Wait…I've seen you looking that way before Cloud. Is it…she…?

I lose my stance completely, and fall to the ground with a thud. I can hardly stay still as the ground is shuffling me with its violent, random movements. I still can't get through to Cloud! The ground is shuffling me back away from Cloud as it tosses me. "Oh no you don't…" I say to it, and with all my strength, I leap over to the edge of my ledge and kneel, grabbing the very edge with one hand to keep myself steady, and throw my other arm over at full length in one final attempt to reach my last friend.

"Cloud! Cloud please reach for me! Can you even hear me!" I scream, hardly even hearing myself above the noise of the rumbling the Northern Crater is making, and the bangs and thuds of the boulders and pieces of the structure that crash to the ground below – "oh Gods!" The ground has completely split! There isn't just the fact that Cloud is on slightly lower ground than me; his platform is separated from mine by a giant crevice about fifty feet down! It's as if Sephiroth himself has slashed the ground between Cloud and me. Only something like the Masamune could leave such a gaping hole in its wake.

Cloud is on a small ledge separate from me and out of reach. But – the ground…beneath his feet it's…it's almost all gone -

"Cloud!" I scream in anguish, he's going to die. He's going to die, and I'm going to see it…

Oh God.

There's not a thing I can do for him.

I can hear in the background high above me the helpless shouts of my comrades as they watch the scene below that we all know they cannot aid. I stretch my arm so hard that I can feel it going to pop out of socket, but I don't care. All I want is my hero, my best friend, my love.

My Cloud.

"CLOUD!" I scream at the top of my lungs as the ground beneath me increases into a violent shake, throwing my body inches off the ground with every shake. I now realise my own danger.

"CLOUD! Can you hear me? Oh God, please Cloud, Cloud…CLOUD!" I scream tears rolling down my face. I can hardly keep my balance. I don't want to, and can't look down because I can feel myself being forced to the edge. I can only hold on for a few more seconds…

"CLOUD! I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!" I cry as hard as my lungs will let me. The tears come quickly now as I weep for the faded promise – the broken promise is flowing out of my eyes. I'm losing it, I can feel it. I sit, crying out, but unable to hear my own voice.

Everything is silent…

The pieces of the structure fall all around me and in between us but I cannot hear anything. My lips move but no sound comes out. Everything is silent as my eyes watch my hero.

He stands like the statue of a saint, bold, strong and never fading. He was the beacon in my life, the one who stood tall through everything I ever did. Even now when our deaths are approaching us, he stands tall, his firm but guiding gloved hand reaching upwards, a warm smile on his handsome, loving face. I know now. He is reaching for his flower girl, the girl who blossomed into an angel. He wants to be with her, he is welcoming his death with open arms. If I squint, I can almost make out her delicate hand reaching down for him.

And I smile. Ha, it's laughable. I'm going to die, but I'm still smiling. I guess, in a way, I always have been, with him in my life.

The ground beneath me flings my mind back to its senses with a violent shudder. The sound returns, to an unbearable level. I grab my ears, to try and stop the ear-splitting noise of the power erupting from within the Crater, sending the structure tumbling down and caving in. The crevice is swallowing everything. I am only thankful for the fact that my comrades are all safe at higher ground where they are now. They are saved from my situation. But…I'll never see them again.

I'll never see Vincent's captivating red eyes, Cid's dishevelled hair and goggles, Cait Sith pulling out another crumpled prediction slip. Never hear Red's purring as I scratch his soft fur, or listen to Yuffie's adolescent giggles, or feel how good it feels to be swallowed in one of Barrett's hugs…

One last time I reach out, dangerously over the ledge to Cloud one last time.

"CLOUD! Reach for me! I'm here Cloud! Remember our promise, please, remember us Cloud!

Then the ground gives a violent shudder. I lose my balance, and before I can do another thing…I fall.

"CLLOO O O u d………"