A/N: Hi-o!! Cloud and Aeris in this Chappy (go figure... it's the name of the chapter after all)
To GigGo3z: Well I'm posting as fast as i can so ;) don't worry!!
To Albhed Nightmare: Yuppers. Rikku gonna have a baby!! YAY!
Chapter Twelve
Aeris and Cloud
Rikku had buried her face in the pillow. Her thoughts were racing. Hearing the door open, she rolled over, seeing the wide eyes of Tidus and Yuna. "Hey there."
"Rikku! You're going to make me an auntie before I'm a mommy!" Yuna cried. Suddenly realizing what she had just said, she quickly spoke again to keep the thought from crossing Tidus' mind. "Does Gippal know?"
"Paine went to get him. Then I'll probably head home," Rikku smirked. She had heard Yuna's comment. "But... tell you the truth, I don't know if either of us were ready for this."
"Well you don't really have a choice, do you?" Tidus joked.
"Guess not..." Rikku looked at her stomach, and began to cry. "I'm gonna be FAT!"
The image of a fat Rikku made both Yuna and Tidus crack up. "Oh Rikku," she said, giving her cousin a hug. "It'll all be gone in a little more than nine months."
"Doc says I've been pregnant for almost two months."
"Two months?!"
"That's why I haven't been eating a lot. I've been gaining weight and I was worried--"
"Rikku!" Yuna exclaimed. "You and Gippal have only been married for a few weeks!"
"Hehehe," Rikku chuckled quietly.
Aeris came into the room, looking at Rikku. "He doesn't know yet, but he's worried about you."
"Gippal's here already?!"
Aeris nodded. She smiled, "Don't worry, it'll be okay Rikku." She left the room, Gippal entering soon after.
"Rikku!" he cried.
Smiling weakly, Rikku sighed. "Hi honey. I..."
"Come on," Tidus whispered. "Let's leave the two lovebirds alone." Yuna and Tidus left the room, walking into the main room again.
"I'm afraid," Yuna said suddenly.
"Howcome?" Tidus asked.
"Rikku... her body is so petite. That diet she's been going on might have already hurt the baby and what if..." Yuna shook her head. What if she dies...?
"Don't worry. Rikku might be small, but she's strong. She's going to be a great mom," Tidus reassured.
Tidus and Yuna sat down on a bench, looking around. Aeris was leaning near the window, staring to the outside. She obviously hadn't noticed them.
"Aeris," Tifa hissed from the other side of the room. "Aeris!"
The flower girl looked up. "Hey Tifa."
"I think you can talk to him. I know he believes it's you... he's just..."
"In shock," Yuna finished.
"Right," Tifa grinned. "Don't worry. If he gets mad at you, I'll come beat him up for yah."
"Thanks Tifa," Aeris said, hugging her old friend. She took in a deep breath, walking down the hall. She didn't notice the others following her though. She opened the door to Cloud's room, and closed it behind her.
Yuna, Tidus, and Tifa looked at each other, and quickly pressed their ears against the door, hoping to eavesdrop on something good.
"Hi Cloud."
After a moment of silence, the mercenary looked up. "Aeris."
Taking in a deep breath, she sat down on the bed across from him. "I'm sorry if I startled you earlier."
"No. I should be sorry. I couldn't make myself believe that you'd really come back... but you are. You're here. After these past five years, you came." Cloud looked over Aeris, noticing every change. "But how?"
"Yuna. Because of her love for Tidus, I was able to help him, and myself, escape the afterworld. Her friend has invented a machine that travels through time. So we set it for five thousand years back in time, and came to see you."
"Five thousand years?"
Aeris nodded. "I waited so long to come back. I wanted to see you, at least one more time. I wanted..." she trailed off, almost embarrassed at her other wishes.
Tifa looked down at her left hand. She almost felt guilty for the ring on her finger. She had always known Aeris loved Cloud just like she had... Had she taken advantage of Cloud after Aeris' death?
Cloud stood up. "After I... watched you die... I didn't think I'd ever get past you. You had changed my life so much."
Aeris felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I just wanted to help. But I got myself killed and..."
"You gave us all purpose. You can't ever want to take back what you did," Cloud said.
"But I do."
"Aeris..." Cloud whispered. He sat on the bed next to her. "Five years ago... I wanted to erase you from my mind. I didn't want to remember you. I wanted to put that part of my life in a part of my heart where it wouldn't be broken anymore."
"I wanted the same," Aeris said softly. "But I couldn't ever forget you. Your face was burned in my mind. To forget you would mean forgetting my existance..." she stopped. She had said too much.
"I don't want either of us to hurt anymore," he said quietly.
Aeris' soft gasp was cut off. After about a moment, she seemed to regain herself. Her breathing was ragged. "I... don't think we should..."
"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry..." Cloud apologized.
Tifa stood up. She knew perfectly what had happened. Trying to keep her cool, she walked away, into a different room.
Yuna and Tidus glanced at each other. What was going on? "I think I saw a ring on her finger," Yuna whispered, barely audible.
Tidus nodded. "Maybe it was just a friendly... greeting?" he suggested poorly.
"I loved you," Cloud said softly.
Aeris looked up, tears burning in her eyes. "I loved you too. And... I think I still do but... Tifa's always liked you. She deserves... You're better off with her."
Cloud sighed, maybe ashamed of her not knowing of his marriage. "But Aeris, you always make everything better. You light up everyone's life... especially mine."
"It just doesn't seem right," she said, holding back sobs. "But--" her sentence was cut off by another soft kiss. This one lasted longer. When she finally pulled away, Aeris stood. "No. I can't..."
Tidus and Yuna heard her footsteps heading for the door, and quickly scrambled to get as far as possible before it was too late. They got into the main room again, and sat down. Everyone else was gone. Minutes later, the flower girl came into the room, but hurried to the other side, hoping to get out. "Aeris!" Yuna called.
She turned around, facing Yuna. She was panting slightly, and her hair was messy. Tears fell from her eyes; cheeks red and blotchy. "Can we go back?"
"What's wrong?"
Aeris shook her head, "Nothing."
"But..."
"It was nothing. Besides, I think they planned this."
Yuna thought for a moment. She meant Seymour and Sephiroth. "How could they? What did they plan?"
"They planned for everything to go wrong."
Tidus glanced back and forth, a bewildered look on his face. "What are you two talking about?"
Yuna sighed. "I'll tell you later."
Setting his hands on Yuna's shoulders, he couldn't help but feel worried. Something was going on between these two. Ever since that attack the day before. But what was it?
What exactly happened in there...? Yuna wondered. She decided she'd go talk to Cloud himself. "I'm going to go find Tifa, okay?" she lied. "I need to talk to her."
"Okay," Tidus said, squeezing her shoulders. "I'm going to see if Gippal's okay. See how he took the shock."
Aeris watched as the two went seperate ways, and found herself alone. She walked into one of the spare rooms, deciding to rest for a while. She had a lot of thinking to do.
Yuna made sure no one was following her. She quietly knocked on the door she had just been eavesdropping in.
Cloud opened the door, suprised to see her. "You're... Rikku?"
"It's Yuna. I need to talk to you," she said firmly.
"About what?" he asked, letting her in. He stood, arms crossed, waiting for a reply.
"You're married to Tifa, right?" Yuna questioned, shutting the door.
"For nearly five years."
"So then what was that?"
The mercenary stood in silence. "You listened?"
"Aeris is a good friend. I wanted to make sure you weren't going to be an ass like you were earlier," Yuna said, her voice dark. She didn't normally curse, but when she was in a bad mood, or trying to figure something out, it slipped.
"Well whatever you heard, it was just friendly conversation."
"Oh and it was just a friendly kiss, right?" Yuna snapped.
"I don't need this. Get out!" he yelled.
"I want to know!" Yuna demanded. "You kissed her. Why?"
Cloud stomped past her and opened the door. "It's rude to eavesdrop," he said.
"Just tell me what happened in the end. Why did she come out crying?" Yuna said, standing near the doorway.
Shaking his head, Cloud pushed Yuna out the door, shutting and locking it. "Ask her yourself," he muttered through the door.
A/N: Just to let you all know, I don't know what happened to make Aeris cry yet either. I'm... thinking... Well hope you like the chappy, and the cliffhanger ending. Geez, this fic is already 12 chapters and it's not even CLOSE to being done. Maybe I ought to find a point to stop then make a sequel... Anyways. Now I'm trying to keep up with two fics, but this will be my numero uno priority!! (Course I have a lot of unfinished fics, I just have two that are REALLY interesting rite now)
Well remember, the more reviews I get, the faster I update!!!
To GigGo3z: Well I'm posting as fast as i can so ;) don't worry!!
To Albhed Nightmare: Yuppers. Rikku gonna have a baby!! YAY!
Chapter Twelve
Aeris and Cloud
Rikku had buried her face in the pillow. Her thoughts were racing. Hearing the door open, she rolled over, seeing the wide eyes of Tidus and Yuna. "Hey there."
"Rikku! You're going to make me an auntie before I'm a mommy!" Yuna cried. Suddenly realizing what she had just said, she quickly spoke again to keep the thought from crossing Tidus' mind. "Does Gippal know?"
"Paine went to get him. Then I'll probably head home," Rikku smirked. She had heard Yuna's comment. "But... tell you the truth, I don't know if either of us were ready for this."
"Well you don't really have a choice, do you?" Tidus joked.
"Guess not..." Rikku looked at her stomach, and began to cry. "I'm gonna be FAT!"
The image of a fat Rikku made both Yuna and Tidus crack up. "Oh Rikku," she said, giving her cousin a hug. "It'll all be gone in a little more than nine months."
"Doc says I've been pregnant for almost two months."
"Two months?!"
"That's why I haven't been eating a lot. I've been gaining weight and I was worried--"
"Rikku!" Yuna exclaimed. "You and Gippal have only been married for a few weeks!"
"Hehehe," Rikku chuckled quietly.
Aeris came into the room, looking at Rikku. "He doesn't know yet, but he's worried about you."
"Gippal's here already?!"
Aeris nodded. She smiled, "Don't worry, it'll be okay Rikku." She left the room, Gippal entering soon after.
"Rikku!" he cried.
Smiling weakly, Rikku sighed. "Hi honey. I..."
"Come on," Tidus whispered. "Let's leave the two lovebirds alone." Yuna and Tidus left the room, walking into the main room again.
"I'm afraid," Yuna said suddenly.
"Howcome?" Tidus asked.
"Rikku... her body is so petite. That diet she's been going on might have already hurt the baby and what if..." Yuna shook her head. What if she dies...?
"Don't worry. Rikku might be small, but she's strong. She's going to be a great mom," Tidus reassured.
Tidus and Yuna sat down on a bench, looking around. Aeris was leaning near the window, staring to the outside. She obviously hadn't noticed them.
"Aeris," Tifa hissed from the other side of the room. "Aeris!"
The flower girl looked up. "Hey Tifa."
"I think you can talk to him. I know he believes it's you... he's just..."
"In shock," Yuna finished.
"Right," Tifa grinned. "Don't worry. If he gets mad at you, I'll come beat him up for yah."
"Thanks Tifa," Aeris said, hugging her old friend. She took in a deep breath, walking down the hall. She didn't notice the others following her though. She opened the door to Cloud's room, and closed it behind her.
Yuna, Tidus, and Tifa looked at each other, and quickly pressed their ears against the door, hoping to eavesdrop on something good.
"Hi Cloud."
After a moment of silence, the mercenary looked up. "Aeris."
Taking in a deep breath, she sat down on the bed across from him. "I'm sorry if I startled you earlier."
"No. I should be sorry. I couldn't make myself believe that you'd really come back... but you are. You're here. After these past five years, you came." Cloud looked over Aeris, noticing every change. "But how?"
"Yuna. Because of her love for Tidus, I was able to help him, and myself, escape the afterworld. Her friend has invented a machine that travels through time. So we set it for five thousand years back in time, and came to see you."
"Five thousand years?"
Aeris nodded. "I waited so long to come back. I wanted to see you, at least one more time. I wanted..." she trailed off, almost embarrassed at her other wishes.
Tifa looked down at her left hand. She almost felt guilty for the ring on her finger. She had always known Aeris loved Cloud just like she had... Had she taken advantage of Cloud after Aeris' death?
Cloud stood up. "After I... watched you die... I didn't think I'd ever get past you. You had changed my life so much."
Aeris felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I just wanted to help. But I got myself killed and..."
"You gave us all purpose. You can't ever want to take back what you did," Cloud said.
"But I do."
"Aeris..." Cloud whispered. He sat on the bed next to her. "Five years ago... I wanted to erase you from my mind. I didn't want to remember you. I wanted to put that part of my life in a part of my heart where it wouldn't be broken anymore."
"I wanted the same," Aeris said softly. "But I couldn't ever forget you. Your face was burned in my mind. To forget you would mean forgetting my existance..." she stopped. She had said too much.
"I don't want either of us to hurt anymore," he said quietly.
Aeris' soft gasp was cut off. After about a moment, she seemed to regain herself. Her breathing was ragged. "I... don't think we should..."
"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry..." Cloud apologized.
Tifa stood up. She knew perfectly what had happened. Trying to keep her cool, she walked away, into a different room.
Yuna and Tidus glanced at each other. What was going on? "I think I saw a ring on her finger," Yuna whispered, barely audible.
Tidus nodded. "Maybe it was just a friendly... greeting?" he suggested poorly.
"I loved you," Cloud said softly.
Aeris looked up, tears burning in her eyes. "I loved you too. And... I think I still do but... Tifa's always liked you. She deserves... You're better off with her."
Cloud sighed, maybe ashamed of her not knowing of his marriage. "But Aeris, you always make everything better. You light up everyone's life... especially mine."
"It just doesn't seem right," she said, holding back sobs. "But--" her sentence was cut off by another soft kiss. This one lasted longer. When she finally pulled away, Aeris stood. "No. I can't..."
Tidus and Yuna heard her footsteps heading for the door, and quickly scrambled to get as far as possible before it was too late. They got into the main room again, and sat down. Everyone else was gone. Minutes later, the flower girl came into the room, but hurried to the other side, hoping to get out. "Aeris!" Yuna called.
She turned around, facing Yuna. She was panting slightly, and her hair was messy. Tears fell from her eyes; cheeks red and blotchy. "Can we go back?"
"What's wrong?"
Aeris shook her head, "Nothing."
"But..."
"It was nothing. Besides, I think they planned this."
Yuna thought for a moment. She meant Seymour and Sephiroth. "How could they? What did they plan?"
"They planned for everything to go wrong."
Tidus glanced back and forth, a bewildered look on his face. "What are you two talking about?"
Yuna sighed. "I'll tell you later."
Setting his hands on Yuna's shoulders, he couldn't help but feel worried. Something was going on between these two. Ever since that attack the day before. But what was it?
What exactly happened in there...? Yuna wondered. She decided she'd go talk to Cloud himself. "I'm going to go find Tifa, okay?" she lied. "I need to talk to her."
"Okay," Tidus said, squeezing her shoulders. "I'm going to see if Gippal's okay. See how he took the shock."
Aeris watched as the two went seperate ways, and found herself alone. She walked into one of the spare rooms, deciding to rest for a while. She had a lot of thinking to do.
Yuna made sure no one was following her. She quietly knocked on the door she had just been eavesdropping in.
Cloud opened the door, suprised to see her. "You're... Rikku?"
"It's Yuna. I need to talk to you," she said firmly.
"About what?" he asked, letting her in. He stood, arms crossed, waiting for a reply.
"You're married to Tifa, right?" Yuna questioned, shutting the door.
"For nearly five years."
"So then what was that?"
The mercenary stood in silence. "You listened?"
"Aeris is a good friend. I wanted to make sure you weren't going to be an ass like you were earlier," Yuna said, her voice dark. She didn't normally curse, but when she was in a bad mood, or trying to figure something out, it slipped.
"Well whatever you heard, it was just friendly conversation."
"Oh and it was just a friendly kiss, right?" Yuna snapped.
"I don't need this. Get out!" he yelled.
"I want to know!" Yuna demanded. "You kissed her. Why?"
Cloud stomped past her and opened the door. "It's rude to eavesdrop," he said.
"Just tell me what happened in the end. Why did she come out crying?" Yuna said, standing near the doorway.
Shaking his head, Cloud pushed Yuna out the door, shutting and locking it. "Ask her yourself," he muttered through the door.
A/N: Just to let you all know, I don't know what happened to make Aeris cry yet either. I'm... thinking... Well hope you like the chappy, and the cliffhanger ending. Geez, this fic is already 12 chapters and it's not even CLOSE to being done. Maybe I ought to find a point to stop then make a sequel... Anyways. Now I'm trying to keep up with two fics, but this will be my numero uno priority!! (Course I have a lot of unfinished fics, I just have two that are REALLY interesting rite now)
Well remember, the more reviews I get, the faster I update!!!