The room was instantly filled with the same winds and light as before, and Cid's eyes widened as he watched the water where Lucrecia fell... a white light was building beneath the surface, coalescing and escalating...

The high energy in the air intensified... something big was happening, Cid could feel the energy in every part of him and the strange haunting cries in the winds culminated.

The glow turned into a piercing white glare as the huge body of light that had formed beneath the surface broke free and screamed up like a bolt of lightning to the roof of the cavern and beyond it, knocking Cid onto his back merely with the force of it shooting past him. He stared up as the winds whipped at his clothes and hair before gradually dying down again.

There was silence from him for a long time, his eyes fixed up at the top where the light had escaped the cavern.

"What... what the @#$% just happened?" He said after a while, his hands grabbing at his head.

Aeris still stood there at the Altar, unmoved. She looked at Cid, unbothered by his obscene outburst.

Cid scrambled over to her and looked up at her pleadingly. "Aeris... please will you tell me what's going on!? Why did Lucrecia just... and what was that light? What's going ON?!"

Aeris knelt so that her face was level with his. Once again he could see the inner light radiating from her angelic face. "The rite you have witnessed is called the Exchange, where if it is justified, a Cetra or one with knowledge of the Cetran language may come to this High Altar and pray for a sort of trial." She checked to see if Cid was following her. "The idea of the trial is that the wielder of the Heka sacrifices his or her own spirit energy to allow one soul from the Lifestream to break free and return to life."

Cid couldn't speak. He couldn't; his throat was dry and no thoughts were formed clearly enough in his head.

"Sh... she... for... for Vin....?"

Aeris nodded, smiling. She was delighted as Cid started to work it all out. She watched his face with underlying empathy as he managed to get words out.

"You see, the Planet and its Lifestream is very delicately balanced. There is always an equal amount of Life energy in living things and in the planet itself, that flows around the planet, enriching it with life. To remove one soul from one half and force it into the other would disrupt the balance, but if there is an exchange... it is frowned upon by the elders, though, so only one Exchange blade, the Heka, was ever made and it could only be used once. Lucrecia is now the only one who ever did and ever will perform the exchange again." She said, admiration in her eyes. "It was a noble deed."

Cid's eyes were filling with tears again. His life really was an emotional roller coaster. "She sacrificed herself... so Vin could have another chance..?" He whispered, his heart crying out it's agonized gratitude to Lucrecia's soul, wondering if she had found her long-lost son at last.

"Yes. The sacrifice had conditions that needed to be met... the Heka needed to be steeped in the energies of the coveted soul. That's why she gave it to you to keep for a week, your energies were mingled with Vincent's memories, and they passed into the Heka from you. Also, the soul that is to return needs to be willing. As Lucrecia was your representative, the conduit for your sorrow - I was Vincent's representative here. An intermediary. I asked him if he was willing to come back to you..."

Cid's heart tightened. What if he was happier where he was? "And?" He managed, his throat tight.

Aeris shook her head. Cid's heart lurched.

"I could hardly hold him back." She smiled at the relief that spread over Cid's broken and tear-streaked face.

"Where was I? Oh yes. If the energies are right and both souls are willing to exchange, the High Priestess will listen to the case."

Cid shook his head, a tear running from his eye. "Damn... they didn't want this thing to happen a lot, did they..?"

"No, they didn't." Aeris replied, seriously. "I'm amazed they even allowed it to happen this once. Lucrecia told you to pour out your feelings of sadness and your love for Vincent so that they could judge whether the soul truly needed a second chance or not... You convinced them almost immediately. I felt their assent straight away. It was just."

Cid looked desperately into the Angel's gentle eyes. "I know everything now, but... where is he? Where's Vin? Is he coming here? How can I find him?" His eyes portrayed his fear. Fear of this all being a lie, or not being able to find him if it was all true.

Aeris laid her softly glowing hand on Cid's face. "Don't worry. Your heart will guide you to him. The Lifestream will recreate his physical form from the memories and the traces of him in your energy, and will fill it with his soul. Then, he will surface from the Lifestream, but I do not know where. I'm sorry."

Cid laughed softly in disbelief, his tears still coming strong. "I... I can't believe it... Vin's back..?"

Aeris smiled happily, feeling Cid's heart lift. "Please, never tell him that Lucrecia exchanged her life for his. He would not be able to bear it, and the last thing Lucrecia wanted was for him to suffer any more guilt. All of them are happy now, so don't say anything to him about it. Always keep what she did for you in your heart, don't forget her, but move on. You have a second chance now that no one has ever had before, so you owe it to her to be happy. Both of you." She smiled. "He never melded with the Lifestream, you know. He was supposed to, but he couldn't rest leaving you alone. But now... he will be back where he belongs, with the one who loves him."

She stood up. "I must leave now, Cid." She smiled, as the pilot scrambled up as well. "Look for him. Search high and low, and never give up hope. Believe in him, and you will be drawn together again. You will find him. Take care of him when you do, okay?" She started to fade again, like she had back in the church in Midgar. "And will you tell Cloud that I love him? Goodbye..." With a last smile, she vanished in a corona of golden light. A single feather from one of her great white wings slowly drifted down in circles until it alighted onto the crystal of the Altar.

Cid was silent. He was alone in the sanctuary now, and his thoughts turned to Lucrecia and her final, noble act. She had finally redeemed herself in her own eyes, and Cid prayed with all his heart that she had found peace now that she was reunited with her son.

He looked at the feather, and reached out to touch it. It was tangible. He picked it up and put it in his now empty leather satchel, his heart revelling as he decided he would take it to Midgar and take it to Cloud with Vincent when he found him.

When he found Vincent.

He would be able to hold him again, to hear his voice... the longing in Cid's heart was immense.

So, with a final silent thank you to Lucrecia, he took a last look at the Altar, where she had dropped into the water, and smiled as he descended from the pedestal.

He took his time going back up the crystal staircase, alone. He was desperate to start his search for his love, but he had a hunch that he wouldn't see this special place again, so he savoured the sights as he left.

***

Shera looked at the clock. She was worried; the captain had left early in the morning and now it was getting dark... he still wasn't back. She had repeatedly tried his PHS, but it wasn't being answered.

She hoped that he hadn't done something stupid... he was missing Vincent so badly, he was so depressed. There was a possibility that he might have decided to join him.

The thought was too frightening for her to pursue, but as time ticked on, it nagged at the back of her mind. It would just be too tragic if the grief of Vincent's loss drove him to take his own life...

She was getting seriously worried. She was just considering taking out the newly fixed Tiny Bronco to search for him when he walked in.

"Cid!!" Shera shouted, standing and running over to him. "Where have you been?! I've been worried sick!! I thought that you'd..." she didn't finish her sentence.

There was a strange light in his eyes, and he laid a hand upon her shoulder to calm her. He thought again how much she resembled Lucrecia. "Shera, it's okay. I wasn't going to do something stupid."

He remembered considering it though, in the past month. There had been a few times when he'd stood at the beach and seriously considered wading out into the sea, never to return.

He was very glad now that he hadn't; that he'd been strong, because now he was to be rewarded for it.

"Cid, where have you been?!" Shera repeated, angry that he'd put her through such worry.

"I... went to visit an old friend. We got talking, I didn't expect I'd be gone so long. Sorry if I worried you." Well, it was mostly true, wasn't it? He didn't want to say to Shera what had happened at the capital, in case anything went wrong and...

No, he didn't want to think about it. Just don't think, don't think.

"I wish you'd phone me to at least tell me where you are! You've been gone all day, I was going out of my mind with worry!"

Cid smiled at her. Her eyes widened a little. He was smiling... he hadn't smiled like that, since...

"Shera... I've had a pretty tiring day... do you mind if I go up to bed? I'm sorry I worried you. It was just so important, and I lost track of time..."

She smiled back, though it was a weary smile. "It's fine, I'm sorry for yelling at you." She sighed. It was the first time she'd ever yelled at him. "Yeah, you look tired. Go on to bed."

He squeezed her shoulder and walked past her up the stairs, taking off his jacket as he went.

Cid found it very hard to sleep that night.

There were so many things that he had to think about... so many things were running energetically about his tired mind.

Vincent... he would find him. An Angel had promised him so, and Angels don't lie.

Aeris. She deserved a second chance, too... but she had a job to do now and couldn't come back even if she wanted to. Cid had a feeling she liked her new job, watching over people, helping them...

He turned his head as he lay in bed to look at the leather satchel containing her feather, hung up on the bedpost. The feather was like a promise, that he and Vincent would give the feather to Cloud together. Until that day, it would remain where it was as a promise that he would find Vincent.

He wondered if Vincent would look any different. No more Jenova cells... would his eyes be a different colour? But all his memories of Vincent were of how he'd looked in the happier days, when they were all still in AVALANCHE, so if Vincent's form was to be made from his memories, he would look just the same as ever. Still as beautiful.

"So, you're out there, Vin..." Cid whispered, turning over. "But where? Aeris said to believe in you." He smiled. "I believe in you. I want to see you again so much... I'd give anything just to find you."

Slowly, he drifted off to sleep, with Vincent's red headband coiled around his hand.

**