( None of these belong to me. They are owned by Squaresoft/enix so I would greatly appreciate it if you don't sue me please thanks) This is my second time writing a fic so bear with me, there's prolly a lot of mistakes in here. Lol no flames please. This is a Vincent/Aeris fic. This is a great fic for all you Vincent or Aeris fans out there... ' oh and another thing.. I know that I'm kinda rushing things and I'm telling the story really fast, but bear with me... I swear, I'll go more into depth and the later chapters will get better! ' Any more critiques or anything could really help me improve my writings.. thanks. This is a fairly short ... anndddd... I still don't have any songs!! Yeah, Vincent's just a little touchy today... so... don't bother him...

Red Death's Love

-LMG-

/

When Aeris woke up the next morning, she'd realized that she was laying on the floor of a familiar yet strange house. She slowly got up. The huge crimson cloak fell off her shoulders. Aeris wiped the sleep away from her bright green eyes and yawned. Her face felt sore for some strange reason. She went to touch her chin, and winced.

"Ouch..."

I wonder how that got there.....I guess I must have banged up against something last night.... She thought as she looked around the house.

There was a fireplace in front of her. There were ashes and red embers, that emanated from within. Scattered stone pieces were gathered up into a corner of the room as well as feathers. Looks like someone has a chocobo.. An overturned table sat on the far side of the room.

From the looks of things.. I'd say I'm in the Ancient City still.

A huge tree trunk protruded out from the floor behind her and through the ceiling. There was a black bag sitting next to it. Aeris wanted to peer inside of the bag just to see who it belonged to, but she was more interested in how she came about this place. She remembered seeing Cloud's face before she felt a stabbing pain through her abdomen. She could hear Sephiroth's insidious laughter. Aeris also remember feeling her life slip away as Cloud held her in his arms. He was crying, but she could not console him... As she passed away, she saw Cloud and the rest of AVALANCHE do battle with a monster.... And after they were done.... Cloud took her to the lake.....

But that was all.... She could recall the last moments of her death, and the promise land... but, everything after that was a blur. Did someone take her out of the lake and bring her here? Obviously yes... but when she tried to recall the events that took place last night, she couldn't remember a single thing. Aeris bit her lower lip in frustration. She wrapped a strand of hair around her right index finger. What to do, what to do..

Aeris got up from the floor. When she did that, she noticed that she was wearing different clothes. In place of her pink dress were black pants, and a black shirt minus her shoes. She was in her bare feet.

Did someone change me last night?

She glanced around the room curiously and noticed her clothes hanging by the fireplace. She went towards them and touched them. Ofcourse... now she remembered. She was in the water.. struggling, and she couldn't swim. But then someone came and pulled her out. And now here she was..

Aeris was tired, and she wanted to sleep some more, but she knew that she couldn't. She had a lot of work to do. She had to locate Vincent. . Why did her mother only ask for Vincent and not Cloud or any of the other AVALANCHE members? Aeris racked her brain for any kind of clue as to what her mother may have been talking about. Maybe we have to save the planet again or something... Aeris gave up on that question a few seconds later. There's no point in thinking about it.. It's not like I'm gonna find out anything soon.

Aeris wanted to thank whoever had rescued her from drowning, but the person wasn't here. Oh well, Aries grabbed her things. Before she changed her clothes, she took a quick look around the room and the front of the house to make sure that no one was coming. Good, I don't think anyone's here. As she undressed herself, her mind lingered towards the members of AVALANCHE. She'd missed everyone.. She wondered about where they were and what they were doing at this very moment. More than anything, She wanted to see Cloud.

She cared about him deeply and still did. One could even say that she loved him. Aeris thought about Tifa and how she was. Aeris remembered that both she and Tifa had feelings for Cloud. It was obvious to everyone that Tifa loved him. And Cloud? Did he reciprocate her feelings as well? She felt a twinge of jealousy as she slipped the big black shirt off her slim shoulders. Aeris had to admit it.. She was tempted to go out and search for Cloud. She wanted to tell him how she felt. But her mother's warning rang in her mind. "You can't see your friends, not yet anyways... ". She knew what her mother meant by that comment. If she were to seek Cloud out now, she might do something that could unbalance the unseen future.

Aeris sighed wearily. Being a Cetra is never easy..... But at least that means that maybe sometime in the future she would be able to see him and tell him once and for all that she loved him. She pondered if Cloud was thinking about her right now. The long black pants fell onto the floor next to the shirt. Aeris was about to slip her pink dress over her head when she heard a loud "Wark", and sounds of footsteps approaching. She gasped in alarm and accidentally dropped her dress on the floor in panic. "Oh no.."

She only had enough time to run to the other side of the tree and pressed herself against the thick trunk. She grabbed her face with both hands. God her face was hot. Was she blushing. She could feel her heartbeat against her chest.

Oh god... Aeris thought hopefully, Well, maybe it's a woman? She heard the footsteps come into the home and paused. She heard some more shuffling, and then another pause.

Maybe they're putting something away? Aeris bit her lip. Oh god what should she say? Excuse me, but could you please hand me my dress? I'm behind this tree and practically naked. Yeah right.

What if this person is a pervert? Aeris dismissed that idea since she woke up this morning in some clothes other than hers, she figured that person probably changed her and got a good look of her body, anyways...

At least he/she was kind enough that they left her undergarments on her, so they couldn't have been that perverted. The footsteps started again, and she could hear the person getting closer. Well, I can't hide behind this tree forever. I might as well just say something.

"Ah... " Aeris started...

She heard the footsteps stop.

"uhm, I'm sorry, but, I'm a bit underdressed behind this tree and I was wondering if you could please hand me my things... so that I can get dressed... and personally thankyou for saving my life last night..."

Gods that was embarrassing, but oh well, it wasn't as if Cloud was here to see her fumbling around like a fool. There was a pause for a second and then Aeris heard her name.

"Aeris..?"

Her heart stopped. It's a man's voice, but who could it be? She slowly and cautiously stuck her head out from behind the tree.

"Who- how do you know my na-"

Before she had any chance to finish, her face turned beat red. She quickly pulled her head back again. Oh god...

It was Vincent.

What in the world was he doing here? How did he find her? And so soon? Did he somehow find out that she would be here? Oh the questions... Aeris needed some answers and fast, but she couldn't speak to him without any clothes on.

Vincent felt awkward. He wanted to speak to Aeris, but he didn't want to speak to her like this. "Aeris, I'm sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to see if you were alright... I will leave and wait for you outside. please continue... doing what you were doing before..." With those words, he left. He felt a bit guilty for walking in on her while she was dressing. Granted he didn't mean to do it... if he'd known earlier that she was getting changed, he wouldn't have gone in. Vincent leaned up against the stone wall outside waiting for Aeris to finish changing.

Before dawn, Vincent had awaken from slumber. He found himself next to Aeris with his arms around her and he was a little perturbed at first, but then he remembered saving her from the lake and taking her back to the house. Vincent got up from the floor. He took the chocobo and went out fishing by the lake when it got light enough outside. When he got there, he noticed a little shining piece of materia by the edge of the lake. It was pale green. He picked it off the ground and studied it. This looks like Aeris's White materia.

It must've washed up onto the shore. I should take it back to her when I'm done.

He placed it in his left pant pocket. Vincent stayed by the lake and caught six fishes. He gave two to his Chocobo. After he was done fishing, he put the fishes in a little sac he brought with him and headed back. In no way did he think that Aeris would be up this early. It was 9 in the morning. She seemed so exhausted last night. Vincent thought that she'd be asleep for another two hours or so.

Vincent scratched the chocobo's head while he waited for Aeris. When she was finished, she cleared her throat to signal that she was done. Vincent walked into the house. He saw her standing before him. She was wearing her pink dress and her brown traveling shoes. Aeris lost her bow in the lake so she wore her hair down instead. Her pale skin was a little redder than usual, probably from the excitement for having him walk in on her, just now. Aeris had her eyes down as if embarrassed by the whole thing. She brushed her thick hair back from her face prettily.

"Ah.. I'm sorry, I didn't think there was anyone around... so I just got changed..."

Vincent shook his head. "No the fault lies within me, Aeris, I didn't know you were awake... I should've been more considerate.... But nonetheless, I left earlier to fish by the lake, and found this.... "

He reached inside his pocket and pulled out the materia. Aeris stared with bated breath as he handed over her precious materia. She stared at it for a second or two, and then accepted it. She closed her hand around the tiny gem, and felt the magic of the White materia, fill her soul once more. She closed her eyes and looked peaceful for a moment. Vincent blinked and stood by watching nonchalantly. With the materia in her palm, she placed her hand over her heart. The little bead of magic seeped through her skin painlessly and back into her body. After performing her little ceremony, her green eyes flashed open.

"Thankyou Vincent, "she whispered.

Vincent nodded. Aeris cocked her head to the side. There was something important that she needed to know.

"Vincent... how did you know.. that I was going to be here?"

Vincent narrowed his red eyes. "I didn't..." He said. "I was actually came here to pay my respects to your grave...."

She lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Oh..."

Now it was his turn to ask a question. He didn't know how to say it without sounding like a jerk, so he just said it.

"Aeris, why did you come back? I mean... you died, we all saw Cloud put you in the lake... How could you have survived for this long?"

Aeris knew this was coming... She was contemplating on what to tell him. She really wanted to tell him that she had an answer to his question... But to be truthful she really didn't know why she had come back... All she knew was what her mother told her... and that wasn't helpful at all. Aries shuffled around nervously before answering.

"Well Vincent, the thing is... I'm a little bit clueless as to why I'm back here as well...."

She wrung her hands together. She explained everything that happened to her in the promiseland. She talked about meeting her mother and she explained to Vincent what her Iflana told her. When she was done, she noticed that Vincent was quietly studying her making sure that she was telling the truth. She really couldn't blame him for being so distrusting of her. She knew that she would have a hard time believing him if the tables were turned.

"Listen, I know that this is a bit much to take in ... but I am telling you the truth... you have to believe me...."

Vincent looked away from her. "Aeris ... why did your mother tell you to seek my help?"

Aeris shook her shoulders and hung her head so that brown strands of her hair hid her face from his scrutiny.

"I don't know Vincent.. all I know is what she told me.."

Vincent frowned.

"That's not a good enough answer Aries.. that doesn't explain anything.. why on the earth would they send you back? And to me of all people? Why not ask for Cloud?"

Aeris threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know Vincent... your guess is as good as mine! Don't you think I asked myself that same question?"

She didn't want to admit it, but she didn't like the way he spoke to her. Although he hadn't raised his voice at her, it seemed as if he was blaming her for coming back. Why was Vincent being so rude and inconsiderate? She had never really spoken to him on a personal level even when she was alive, they barely exchanged words of any kind, maybe a hello once or twice, but never a full blown conversation. But he always seemed like a decent man..

Almost too gentlemanly, if you ask me... Aeris sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't have any answers for you Vincent... all I know is that I am supposed to meet up with you.. and that we are supposed to do something together... I don't know what it is.. but we can't let anyone else know that I'm back."

Vincent's crimson eyes grew wide.

"Why can't we let them know? I'm sure that Cloud and the rest of Avalanche would want to see you again.."

"that's all my mother told me...", Aeris said hoping that he'll accept her answer.

Vincent shook his head. "But Aeris, your mother told you, that I would know what to do... I don't even know what I'm supposed to do... "

She bit her bottom lip.

"Well, "she answered, "Is there something about you that's different? I mean.. I couldn't have been away for that long... you still look the same as you did when I ... "she trailed off because she didn't want to think about her untimely demise.

Vincent shut his eyes and scratched his head as if annoyed. "It wouldn't make a difference if you were to come back fifty years from now or a hundred, I am destined to look like this for as long long time.. Nothing's different with me... I will never change.."

Aeris furrowed her brows. "So, you mean, you can't age?"

"No, I cannot". He said indifferently, but she could detect a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"Oh.."

They left it at that. Vincent starting to get frustrated. They were going nowhere. He spun on his heel and walked away from her. Aries was still curious.. How long had she been gone for? She remembered what her mother said.

"Things are going to be different..."

What did she mean by that?

"Vincent, you still didn't answer my question... how long have I been gone?" she called out after him.

Vincent didn't turn around. He picked up his bag in one quick motion and hoisted it over his shoulder.

"10 years," He answered monotonously and continued out the door.

-End- Poor Aeris... =(