Chapter 5: Reno's Mishap!

Tifa rammed open the door to Vincent's apartment as she clenched her stomach in pain. "VINCENT!" Tifa scream through gasps of breath, "VINCENT!"

Cloud quickly walked into the room and saw Tifa's hunched figure. "Tifa! What happened?" He asked quickly, a little stunned to see her like that.

"They're going to get her..." She cried weakly.

"Who," Cloud said, running up to Tifa. "Who's getting who?"

"Hojo! VINCENT!"

Vincent's door to his study creaked suddenly as Vincent was finally seen. Tifa ran full speed up to him and viciously grabbed his shirt. "You have to help her...(cough) Hojo's going to get her."

"Hojo's going to get Aeris?"

"No, yes. Zack and Nott."

"Nott?"

"We were just walking and-" Tifa sniffs and is cut off by Vincent- but it's probably for the better…they may not have wanted to know all that had happened.

"What street did you last walk down?" Vincent asked gently though his tone was also demanding for an answer.

And Answer did Tifa- she's near hysterical and just blurts out "Sector six,"

It's at that point that Cloud broke in, trying to sooth Tifa. "Shh, Tifa. Clam down. Come and sit down, before you faint or worse.

"Zack was there. He left me...He left me Cloud. He didn't even care...he just left..." Tifa sobbed.

"Zack? He's alive?" Cloud questions in surprise- but the doubt laced to his tone was quite evident.

"CLOUD! He just left. He didn't care and I was in pain." Tifa repeats, though weather she's in a state of shock or is just making it clear to the blonde is not completely clear.

"Why was Zack there? Is he working for Hojo?" Cloud asked- finally believing her but in disbelief that his once friend would be working for Hojo again.

"Yes, and Nott shot me. Zack saw me in pain, and he just left me. He didn't care," Tifa deafly states with another sniff, as tears slowly began ran down her cheeks. "What has happened to him? Why did he leave me..."

"Shh Tifa," Cloud said compassionately, and his brows knit. Was the Zack that they all knew and loved really working for Hojo? Cloud took Tifa's hands in his, in an effort to try to calm her nerves, "Tifa. Please sit down before you pass out."

"Vincent! You need to go get her. Cloud you need to help her... She's out there all by herself, and Zack and Nott going after her," Tifa said weakly, her voice begging to sound soft and low.

Vincent looked down at her hand cupped over her stomach, which was now drenched in blood he notices for the first time, "The shot you…which one of them?"

"Nott. Please hurry...and...get...Aeris." The loss of blood finally takes it's full effect on her pathetic body. She collapses forward into Cloud's huge opened arms, as he quickly grabbed a hold of her falling body.

"Tifa!" Cloud said lovingly, full of worry and care. He picked her up slowly and gently placed her flat on her back on Vincent's couch.

"Cloud," Vincent began. "You take Tifa to the hospital, then come back and look for me. I'm going to check the sectors for Aeris," Vincent states coolly though inside he's just as worried as the next person.

"But that'll leave you without a car," the blonde point out as he cradles the fallen girl in his arms.

"I'll run."

"No, I'll wait until you come back, then I'll take Tifa-" Cloud's being stubborn, not really thinking everything through before refusing to let Vincent leave without proper transport.

Vincent crimson gaze lowers to the weary figure of Tifa's, "I don't think Tifa has that much time left on her."

Cloud looked down at Tifa, then back at Vincent. He hated to make Vincent walk, but he would never be able to live with himself if Tifa were to die, "Okay," he finally complies.  "I'll take the car and you go look Aeris." With that said, Vincent disappeared out the front door.

He ran down his apartment stairs and down into the middle of all the sectors, then stood there for a moment to decide which sector to look through first. The sector less traveled? Or the sectors crowded with groups of people? He knows that if Aeris was in a sector that was over flooded with people, she'd be able to hide and disappear in crowds. So he decided to travel down the less crowded sectors, which was the smarter way to go.

* * *

Aeris ran for what seemed hours to her; her legs were stinging with an unbearable amount of pain, but there was no way she'd let them take her back to Hojo and his lab. She froze up inside at the thought of going back. She wanted to be free, and to live her life being free and doing as she wanted. As she runs headlong she realizes quite suddenly that she hadn't seen a single person while she's been running down this sectors…nit since she got away from Zack and Nott at the least. If she didn't find somewhere to hide soon her legs were going to give out and they'd she'd have no way to get away.

Suddenly, without he meaning too and for the second time, she ran straight into a man.

The flamey haired man stood there for a moment in a hugging manner. "Whoa. Watch where you're running." Reno would have been harsher on her but the look in her eyes wide, frightened green eyes pierced his melting heart.

"Reno, what do you think you're doing?" Rude questioned smoothly from behinf the other x-Turk.

Aeris gave herself a second to catch her breath as she finally began to gather her wits. Reno stared down at her with a look of don't-you-move-beautiful. "What!? I'm not doing anything." Reno yelled with a great deal of I'm-cool-and-you're-not tone in his voice.

"Elena's going to kill you when she hears this story," the bald x-Turk warns smoothly.

Subsequently Aeris had, had enough resting time so she threw Reno to the side, then started running again. Reno looked back at Rude, "That girl...she looked familiar-"

Elena pushed opened the doors to Tifa's 7th Heaven interrupting Reno's sentence as she came down the stairs, "Do you guys want to have a drink with me?"

"Reno looked up at Elena, his girlfriend, then nods, "Yeah, then let's take a walk. It's a nice night."

"Reno," Elena began. "We have to take a walk in order to get back to our apartment, because SOMEBODY jacked up the car."

"It was on accident," Reno professionally lied. "I was on my way...on getting...you a necklace, heh."

"Uh-huh, just like when you ate my birthday cake and blamed it on the cat." Elena crosses her arms tapping one foot on the ground- almost in a manor of daring him to say more.

"Hey, I didn't lie when I told you that," Reno defends, sounding a bit like a child whining when they didn't get their way.

"Sure." The blonde states sarcastically nodding her head.  "Where is the necklace then?"

"I never did get to the jewelry store, I-"

"Uh-huh, sure. Stop talking." Her voice implies, quit digging the hole you've already been caught.

"Y'know, you're a difficult girlfriend to please," Reno sighs shaking his head.

"My demands are high. You knew that before you started dating me."

"Ok, lets just get a quick drink then go home?" Reno asks, changing the subject as he tried to look as charming as possible.

"Okay," Elena smirked devilishly, "You're paying."

"As usual."

"What did you say?" Elena growled, looking out of the corner of her eyes since she'd begun turning away from him to go back into the bar.

"Huh? What? .... I said... You're beautiful," Reno lied again, making himself look like prince charming in Elena's eyes.

"Thank you."

* * * (Ahh…from this point on Aeris will be Aerith because I don't want to change it anymore…I'll write more in the ending Author's Note.)

Down the sectors Vincent ran. He looked down every street and sidewalk for Aerith, but still she was nowhere to be found. He stopped suddenly on seeing a bright pink bow on the floor of a dark and dreary alley way. One quick flash back proved that this bow belonged to Aerith. He picked up the bow and clenched it in his fist as he began to run again with the hope of finding her soon.

* * *

"No Elena. She just ran helplessly into my arms." Reno said as a matter of fact. "I swear!"

"Oh yes, just like the car and the cake and the frog in my drink. Reno, I can go on and on. That's not a very good sign, and your explanation of why you ere hugging some girl off the streets, is pathetic."

"Elena. I am telling you the truth."

"Uhn. How do I know that? Give me one good reason why I should believe you."

"Rude...ask him, he saw the whole thing."

"Rude wouldn't tell me even if I did ask, because he's always standing up for you, and don't ask me why. I know you were hugging her."

"I swear, I wasn't hugging her. Err!" Frustrated with her stubborn comment, Reno turned his head away in the other direction, not wanting to look at his ,oh so dear, girl friend.

Elena smirked amused at his somewhat cute expression and whispered softly to Rude, "He's so cute when he's angry. I believe him, I just like messing around with him."

"Heh.." Rude smirked, looking down the abandoned sector. "Huh?" Rude began, Elena and Reno staring back at him, "Who's that?"

Vincent came to a stop, deciding it was best to ask the three Ex-Turks if they had seen Aerith come this way.

Reno looked at the questioning gaze Vincent had on his face, asking "Hey man, What's up?"

Vincent spoke swiftly through heaps of breath, "Have you seen a girl with brown hair, jean skirt, white shirt, slender...around 5' feet tall."

Rude broke in saying, "Hey...wasn't that the girl who ran into you?"

"You mean," Elena began, "The girl you were hugging."

"I was not hugging her, though I'd like to think I was." Reno smiled ear to ear.

"Have you seen her," Vincent asked again, making them give him their full attention. "Please, I'm in a hurry."

"Yes," Rude said pointing down the sector to his left. "She went down there, then turned right...about ten minutes ago."

"Thanks," Vincent said starting his way on down the sector that had been suggested to him by Rude.

Elena took off her jacket and walked smoothly up to Reno, who already knew he was in for it for saying what he said. Her womanly figure could be distinguished through her sheer white shirt so well, it dropped Reno's jaw in satisfaction, not that he was dirty minded, but that Elena actually did look nice, or fine shall I say. She pulled his tie to make his face meet hers as she asked smoothly, "What do you mean you'd like to think you were hugging her?"

Reno blinked slowly at the sight of which he saw, stammering out, "E...Elen..Elena. Cut it out. YOU know that you're the only person I truly care about-"

"Thought so. You'll have to catch up with me to show me exactly what you mean." She walked off in a sassy-sexy-like manner, winning Reno's heart all over again and leaving poor Rude to stand speechlessly by himself as they went on with their frivolous actions.

"Lovers. Glad I'll never be one." Rude said annoyed at Elena and Reno and their silly love battles of who's more important. Great...I probably just jinxed myself...

* * *

Cloud made it to the hospital safely and had already had Tifa signed in by ten minutes worth of time.

"So 'ow vaz zis girl 'urt?" The doctor asked in a sharp French accent.

"Uh...a gang fight."

"Oh," She said, scribbling down his answer on a sheet of paper. "O.K. Come vith me." Her voice was a high sweet sound, and her accent complimented her features; greatly. All in all, Cloud thought she was strangely attractive, then again he is known to have good insight on everything. But of course nobody ever comes close to comparing with how beautiful he thinks Tifa is, right? Hah. The doctor stopped unexpectedly when they came to the room Tifa was in. Cloud come in slowly and saw, to his surprise, Tifa sitting up with an I.V. cord in her wrist. The doctor picked up a couple of shots and place them down by Tifa, as she injected one in at a time.

"So," Cloud Began seriously sarcastic, with furrowed brows, "How do you feel?"

"Like I was ran over by a car."

"Ouch, that can't feel to good."

"No, not really." Tifa smiled sweetly.

"O.K." The doctor said, interrupting their inane conversation, "I 'ave good newz, and bad newz. The good newz eez zat 'er belt ad slowed zee bullet down, and zat 'er shirt 'ad socked een all zee blood so zat eet made eet so she deedn't bleed to death. Ze bad newz eez zat she vill not be able to come 'ome to night, but tomorrow she vill."

Barely understanding her words, Cloud nodded then said to Tifa with a pained expression that somewhat confused her, "Tifa, I have to go. I'll come back and check on you tomorrow. Aerith needs me now."

Tifa smiled a fake smile and said sweetly, "Go. Hurry, Aerith and Vincent need you. Make sure they don't get Aerith."

"Of course. I'm not going to loose her again. Thank you for understanding," Cloud said feeling guilty for having to leave Tifa alone without him to accompany her. He kissed her forehead and then waved goodbye as the doctor showed him to the door. With the last sweet comment of their parting, Cloud said, "I promise to be back by tomorrow and I'll make sure to bring Aerith back."

* * *

"Where did that little nag go? Nott spoke quietly to herself, barely audible to Zack's ears. "Why did you let her go in the first place, Zack?" Nott rode on sourly, giving Zack horrid facial expressions. "Why did you let her go?"

"Uh...she shot me. I couldn't exactly run after her," Zack muttered sarcastically.

"Lame excuse."

"Well, okay. Then tomorrow I'll shoot you in the chest and you can show me how you are able to run after that!"

"Shut up, stop being sarcastic. Y'know, Hojo should have you fired. I can tell you're going to turn on him.'

"...? Okay? Uhm...the only person I'd actually turn on would be, in fact, you." Suddenly Nott jerked the car forward, speeding up to 130 mph. "Nott, slow down."

"No!" Nott spoke crazily. "Why were you being so nice to Aerith."

"Hah? Nott, are you jealous?!!! I'm nice to her, because Rufus asked me too."

"If he were to ask you to jump off a bridge, would you? Just because you were brought to life with his fathers soul, doesn't mean you have to be his father."

"HEY! I respect the kid," Zack spoke firmly and smoothly, persuading Nott to think the same, causing her to slow down. "Not only that, Aerith was thrown around daily, she needs a brake from that, by us."

"Why are you so sensitive?"

"I am? Nott, shut up. Stop talking to me."

"Your sensitivity is going to turn on you some day."

Zack's brows began to knit. "What's wrong with you? Why are tripping out?"

She slowed down a little and Zack could see her face softening as water glistened in her eyes, "Zack.… I'm really upset."

"What? Why?"

"Because Hojo…He killed…he…Rall's dead."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I guess you don't have a shoulder now to cry on anymore," Zack joked with no sign of emotion in his tone of voice. "…Anyways, what do you want me to do about it?"

"You can't do anything about it, even if I did want you to." She turned to face Zack, and for once in a long while, Zack recognized a woman instead of a monster. He reached up and put his hand on Nott's cheek as he wiped away one of the fallen tears, making her feel somewhat loved, "I thought you didn't care about him."

"Of course I did. I almost married him." More tears streamed slowly down her face.

"No matter. Hojo won't kill you," Zack tried to make her feel good, but failing at all attempts, he just sat back and pretended not to be there.

"Don't try to be nice to me…I'm angry with you."

"Okay? Why?

"You called me ugly. Sometimes I don't think you remember that I'm a human with feelings. Yes, feelings…"

Zack began shaking his head as he looked out the window, he was definitely not the affectionate type of guy Nott thought him to be, though he was somewhat like Cloud, that is when Ex-President Shinra doesn't have complete control over his body.. "Right now you're pretty, when you're nice, Nott. But when you start yelling, your face gets all twisted and wrinkly and UGLY. Nott, you are UGLY when you're mad, and you're constantly mad. So you're constantly UGLY, sorry to brake it to you."

Nott stared wide eyed and opened mouthed at him, speaking slowly, trying to contain herself, "Zack, I won't get angry, I'll simply just take that really rude, harsh, CRUEL statement as a compliment."

"It was a compliment. I'm just saying, you're more attractive when you're not angry, and when you are…uhm…nice, I guess."

"Y'know. You suck at giving compliments."

"Hey, I'm working at it, and at least I tried."

"Yeah, that's true. So will you take me out."

"No. I don't date. Besides, you wouldn't like me my style of dating anyway, I make the girls pay, and I choose where to go and what to do. And don't even try to like it. And…dd…uhm. NOTT. STOP TRYING TO BE NICE TO ME. It just doesn't suit you. Ack? Sorry, but uck."

"You know how much sense Zack, you just now didn't make."

"Huh?" Zack muttered, not at all interested.

"You say I'm ugly when I'm mad, but I'm pretty when I'm nice, and you tell me to not be nice."

"No. You can be nice, just not to me. Please!" Zack shook his head in disgust. He just didn't and couldn't think of Nott that way, all romantic and nice. Yes, he did work with Nott for about five years, but he thought of her as just Nott, nothing more, nothing less.

Unexpectedly Nott slammed on her brakes and came to an alarming stop, pushing Zack out of the car with her hands, "Zack? She cried, while Zack tried to get her hands off of his body.

"Ack! Stop it woman! Get your-"

"LOOK! There she is." She cried happily, her voice sounding normal and cruel again, "She's by the skating wring."

Zack turned around and saw Aerith leaning against a brick wall, breathing heavily. He got out quickly and quietly whacking Nott's unwanted hands away, as he slowly and silently made his sneaky little way over to Aerith.

I can't do this…I cant' make it, Aerith thought to herself, with tears of fear and pain rolling down her silken face. She suddenly turned around on hearing the crunching foot steps of Zack, who was now only just ten feet away from her. Feeling fear pound through her heart, Aerith began to run again.

"No-uh…Stop, Aerith," Zack shouted, stumbling over the heaps of snow.

"Ahh! Help! Get away from me!" Aerith cried in fright, landing on the ice with Zack still following close behind. She and Zack soared through the ice, though Zack twisted into split's a few more times then he had control over.

Zack looked up at Aerith in horror, she had, without knowing, entered the area with thin ice, "Aerith NO! STOP!" But more eager to get away then to listen to Zack's warning, Aerith continued running with Zack following still, close behind, "Aerith, you're on thin ice, get off."

"No, just get away from me," She cried. To Zack's relief, she had made it safely across the thin ice and onto the other side, where she escaped down an ally. As for him, he wasn't so lucky. His tremendous body weight over powered the thin ice, making him slide into the freezing lake water, but Aerith hadn't seen this great event take place so she thought he was still pursuing her.

She turned sharply down a dark ally way, panting frantically, wishing for nothing more than to get away.

"AERITH!!!" Zack yelled after Aerith, who was still in earshot.. "I'M GONG TO KILL YOU WHEN I FIND YOU, AND YOUR FRIENDS! ! !"

Friends, Aerith thought, No! Leave them all alone. Suddenly her thinking was cut short when she turned the corner. She tried to stop but just couldn't, and accidentally ran into a large man. He grabbed her arms while bringing her face to look at his.

"NO! LET GO," Aerith cried, slapping the man with all her might, which was soft, because she had drained all of her physical energy running that night. "LET GO." She began to weep softly, hopping that this hellish nightmare would just end.

"Aerith," he spoke calmly in a voice she recognized and hoped she'd hear right about now, "Shh! It's me, Vincent."

She withdrew her hands and looked up at his face, smiling pathetically soft, "Vincent?"

"I'm right here. Are you alright?"

"I…feel…terrible," Suddenly she gave out, fainting into Vincent's arms. She was too frightened and worried to give herself time to think about how tired her body was, causing her body to go in shock, to fainting into Vincent's arms. Vincent slung her body over his shoulder, then began his walk home. He frowned at the very thought of having to walk all the way home while carrying Aerith. But to his luck, Cloud had just pulled up in his car."

"Hey, Vincent! Get in, " Cloud called out, unlocking the car doors.

Vincent slid Aerith in, then got in himself, shutting the door behind him. When they were both buckled in and everything was good, Cloud drove off, in the direction of Vincent's house. Aerith laid her head mechanically against Vincent's shoulder then sweetly grabbed his arm, making Vincent freeze. He wasn't the affectionate type, and here Aerith was cuddling up against his body, but he ignored his thoughts of pushing her away, because, he had to admit, her skin did feel good against his, all soft and cold.

"How's Tifa," Vincent asked suddenly, disturbing the cold silence.

"Well…I don't really know. She looks okay. The doctor says she'll be able to come home tomorrow. I did ask her how she felt and she said. Like she had been ran over by a car," Cloud sighed deeply, then asked, "How is Aerith?"

"She looks fine. She is sleeping."
"Yeah? That's good. I was really worried about her. Really worried about her, Tifa too…I'm tired." Cloud blinked the fatigued feeling out of his stinging eyes. He picked up his walkie talkie and pushed down the button, then began to speak into it... saying, "This is Cloud, Reeve. Pick up. Over…"

"This is Reeve. What's up Cloud? Over…"

"I have a man and a woman to report. Over…"

"Do the man first. Over…"

"His name is Zack, according to Tifa. He has black hair, tall, muscles, drives black car… Over…"

"Gotcha…Over…"

"The girl. Her name is Nott (according to Vincent), Brown hair, slender, big attitude. Drives black car…Over…"

"Aerith," Vincent said, breaking into the conversation, "Said what in this town, she's known by the name of Julia or Jewel."

"Reeves…Val, here, says that in this town she's known as Julia or Jewel…Over…"

"Got it all, anyone, or anything else? Over…"

"No, that's it. Over and out." Cloud slid his w. t. Back onto his police belt then drove into Vincent's driveway. Cloud got out and opened the door for Vincent. "Here, give me the girl, because you have the keys to the apartment," Cloud made up an excuse, saying anything to hold Aerith, his…love. Vincent hesitated for a moment, noticing the odd look Cloud had in his eyes…A look of regret and …love. Vincent handed him the girl, then shut and locked the doors to the car. Making their way up to Vincent's apartment, Cloud said, "Wow, Aerith is so light compared to Tifa."
"Tifa has more of something, and muscles, Cloud," Vincent said flatly, not knowing that he made Cloud laugh. Vincent opened the door for enough time to let Cloud and himself in, then he quickly shut and locked the door. Vincent ran up the stairs after Cloud, and followed him into Aerith's room. Cloud placed Aerith within the bed covers as Vincent removed the outer clothing.

"Poor girl…" Cloud said compassionately, shaking his head at the ice-cold touch of Aerith's skin. "She deserves so much better…I'm going to kill Hojo… Only if Tifa had not taken her on a walk…Tifa's a foolish girl." Vincent raised his eyebrows in surprise at what Cloud had just said. "I wonder why Hojo brought her back to life." Cloud said quietly.

"…"

"Or why he wants her."

"She's important to him for some reason." Vincent said, folding Aerith's jacket, and placing it on the side table.

"Yeah… Well I have to go. Tomorrow I'm going to pick up Tifa. I'm tired." Vincent could distinguish a hurt unforgiving look in Cloud's eyes, instantly knowing that there was something wrong.

"You can't take my car."

"No. I rented a cab…"

Vincent followed Cloud out to the entry, opening the door for him. "Cloud…?"

Cloud didn't answer but just walked outside, not wanting to be noticed.

"Hey, Cloud. Are you okay."

No answer

Vincent put his hand on his back then asked again, as Cloud turned around. Vincent pulled his hand away in wonderment. Cloud's face was flush and his eyes were swollen with sudden tears of pain. "Cloud?" Vincent began softly, "Are you…okay?" Vincent motioned for him to sit down on the couch as he shut the door once again, leaving it unlocked. Cloud tried to speak but the words were lost to him Vincent knew Cloud for quiet awhile, though why he was crying, which was odd for Cloud to do, was not that hard to figure out. "What's wrong Cloud?" Vincent asked seriously in a worry tone.

Suddenly Cloud burst out. He had held himself in for days ever since Aerith had come back, "I can't stand this. I'm still in love with Aerith but I love Tifa too. When the news that Aerith was hurt, I wanted to go and rescue her and leave Tifa here, not caring about her needs. I've tried so hard to forget about Aerith, that when She came back suddenly, I went crazy mentally, but didn't show it. I've tried so heard to suppress my emotions for her so I wouldn't upset Tifa. Why did she have to come back? I know I can't hide my feelings forever. Everything was becoming perfect for me and Tifa. Now I question my love for Tifa, but I know I love her. Though I know I love Aerith too. I don't know who I love more. I've known Tifa far longer, but Aerith has a place in my heart that I can't let Tifa have. I can't get her image out of my head. Tifa was kissing me the other day, and I found myself wishing it was Aerith in my arms. I don't know what to do. Vincent…I need your help, if you have any to offer…" Cloud looked up, his desperate gaze and swollen eyes looking for help from Vincent.

"Who do you love more?"

"I DON'T KNOW!!! It wouldn't even matter," Cloud began to actually cry. He just couldn't handle it, but releasing his anxiety was a great remedy for mental hurt in this situation, for now. "Aerith is already married. She already made it known to me that she's over me. I mean…You know how bad I hurt in my heart when she told me she didn't remember me…I felt like someone had shot me in my heart, a thousand times, over and over and over again. Uhh-huhhh."

"Okay. Cloud I can't talk to you when you're not sane. Take a deep breath."

"(Sigh.)……(pause)…… So what do suggest I do?"

"…I…uhm…"

"GREAT, you don't even know any solutions to my problem. ………Maybe if I pretended to die, and went off with Aerith-"

"Cloud-"

"…Then me and Aerith can be together without Tifa knowing about us-"

"Cloud-"

"…No. Tifa would somehow find out…Even if she didn't, she loves me…and if I were to lie to her and leave her-"

"Cloud-" Vincent tried again.

"…I would hurt Tifa and scar her for life, making her become like me now…"

"CLOUD!"

"WHAT!"

"Now that I know that I have your attention. Listen to me when I ask you this. Why do you love Aeris still-"

"Because I'm emotionally and mentally attached to her. Plus! I'm physically attracted to her. AND! I'm spiritually connected to her. Uhg!" Cloud snorted, punching his hand into Vincent's wall. Vincent's eyes widen in amazement. Cloud had never acted up this badly before, for a long time, if ever. Vincent could tell he was really hurting mentally, though sincerely he didn't know how to help him. Cloud withdrew his hand and apologized to Vincent for punching a whole in his wall.

"Don't worry. Now my wall's more interesting to look at."

Cloud smiled, to Vincent's satisfaction, again hiding his mantel ache. Though Vincent knew he still was hurting, because if you're hurting that bad, you just don't get over the heart aching pain just by talking about it. And it doesn't just go away. "Vincent." Cloud started up again, in the same tone of voice as before. "I'm a jerk. Look at me. I'm thinking of leaving Tifa, and I'm ashamed at the very thought of me thinking so. I can't believe me. I know Tifa really cares about me. Enough to marry me. I can see it in her eyes, and I was going to ask her, but Aerith came back into view. I guess my life is suppose to be full of hardships and all. I wish that Aerith never died, and that Tifa had a better man, than me."

All became silent as Cloud gradually began calming down. Cloud took a deep breath then wiped away his tears. "I'll always love Aeris, but I know Tifa needs me." Suddenly, to Vincent's surprise, Cloud began to laugh through his tears. Had he gone mad? "Vincent. I'm so pathetic. My life sounds like a dramatic soap opera. Who will I choose, the stunning Tifa, or the long lost love of my life, Aeris. Ahehahah" Vincent smirked at Clouds silly words and patted him on the back, like a father would a son. "Thanks for talking with me. I really needed it." Cloud said, pulling open the front door. He walked into the night, stopping to face Vincent as he said his last words of the night.

"Cloud," Vincent said with furrowed brows, "If you ever want to talk…don't hesitate to ask."

"K. Thanks…Bye."

Vincent shut and locked the door, shoving his key quickly into his right pocket. He stopped suddenly on feeling something soft and slopping wet on his fingertips. He pulled it out swiftly, only to see a dirty wet pink bow that Aerith had worn only hours before. He placed it neatly on the table then sat down on the couch.

He never really knew how tired he actually was, until he gave himself time to notice. Then he laid back onto the couch without removing a single piece of clothing as he pictured the earlier events in his head, while getting completely lost into the deepest sleep he had all month; with Aeris running through his dreams.

Well I hoped you like that last chapter I just made up... Have a nice day! Bye!!!

Next: Chapter 6: At The Hospital!

Anybody that wants to post my fics on their web site. Just ask. But you have to ask... please. Thank you.

(Note from Rueh: Ok, I am very sorry to those who wanted quicker updates, and I'm wiling to give them to ya.  I'm going to quit editing the chapters for now…I have been changing Aerith's name to Aeris because that's just the way I spell it.  I'll post a chapter once or twice a week for now on till I run out of chapters…and I have already edited the last few chapters- AND there will be a new one or two to add also! Over the summer I'll go fix up the rest of these chapters, so…hope that's ok with you all!)