Alright, this next chapter is about developing the deepening relationship between the members onboard the Gummi, and of course, Cloud and Aeris in particular. I'm planning to reunite them with the rest of the party in the next chapter and at the latest, in chapter five if something else decides it has to come first.

Let the continuation begin.

Last Revised: 4/8/3004

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*** = Shift in PoV

' ' = Thoughts

" " = Dialogue

::: = Flashback

[ ] = Suggested Soundtrack

( ) = Disc – Track Number

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[Main Theme – Final Fantasy VII (2-01)]

The lift off had gone smoothly, and now they floated amongst a sea of stars. Cid had assured everyone he knew how to find their planet amid all the others and the endlessness of space. Cloud hoped he was right. For while he found the stars to be strangely soothing, he wanted to get back to his place. But he would make the most of this journey. He had promised himself. 'I will get to know my comrades. I will take the time now, as I should have done back then,' he reaffirmed to himself as he stared through the doorway of the cockpit and out its viewport to the twinkling beyond. He was vaguely aware of Cid moving all about the control panel, making some last adjustments. 'I'm so tired,' Cloud thought. 'When was the last time I slept well? …Hmm, not for a long time,' he nodded to himself.

Noticing his stirring, Aeris questioned, "What are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" was the immediate response as he was roused from his musings. Turning towards her, he answered somewhat distractedly, "Oh, nothing really. Just about the last several months."

"Nothing really? The last several months were hardly nothing," Aeris responded disbelievingly. And if the couch had allowed it, her hands would have been on her hips.

Now fully attentive to her, Cloud replied, "I know. But it's in the past, not important now." His eyes were unexpectedly intense, and Aeris understood the unspoken plea: 'I don't want to think about it anymore.' So nodding with a gentle smile, she left it at that.

Squall felt so out of place. All he did was observe from a distance and insert mental comments to himself on each occurrence. But he wasn't sure how to think of Cloud on that last comment. 'It's in the past…' Squall recalled. 'Hmpf. Does that mean you're weak for wanting to forget it, or strong for moving past it?' Often times Squall had wished he could move on after his past. 'It's so hard,' he thought as he closed his eyes. 'Especially after seeing loved ones taken right in front of you.' And Squall shuddered at the memory, quickly pushing it from his mind. Opening his eyes again to look at Cloud, he decided he was at once both strong and weak. Weak because he didn't want to face his past…but strong as well for being able to go forward with no regret. Squall begrudgingly acknowledged that Cloud was stronger than he in that arena, and wished he himself could posses that resolve.

Releasing a sigh that grabbed the attention of the acceleration chamber's occupants, Cid turned around and announced that the danger had passed and that they were free to roam about the ship. In fact, he encouraged them to and even offered to give a tour, with a 'V' prominently displayed on his right hand and his face grinning ridiculously. Everyone politely declined, insisting on their own competence to find their way around. Cid's limp arms reached his knees in his disappointed sagging, which was not unexpected and unfounded. They all knew he was fond of his creations. Perhaps a little too fond…

Cloud, for one, was growing increasingly exhausted and the need to sleep was becoming forefront. When no one got up right away, he took the initiative and stood to stretch for a brief moment. Bringing his arms down from their post above his head, he started to move around the couch to exit from the room, only to be halted by a strong tug on his cape. Cloud turned a bit hurriedly in what he hoped was a non-frantic way and relaxed when he saw it was just Yuffie's behind preventing him from travelling further. Smiling to himself at his needless worrying and the hilarity of the situation, he proceeded to free it. Grabbing the edge of his cape, he tugged with his left hand and cleared his throat.

The feeling of her bum being moved in such an insistent manner made Yuffie look at her seat to see just what the hell was causing it. Seeing the dark material of Cloud's cape, she followed it up to the hand that was causing the motion and then on to his face and ended when she made contact with his eyes. The wry expression on his face caused her to flush slightly. Giving a sheepish giggle, she lifted her right side and pulled the corner of his cape free, offering it to him. When the corner of his mouth lifted, Yuffie felt her flush increase to a full-fledged blush.

Flustered, she asked him, "Why don't you just take that thing off?"

Cloud's face became speculative as he pulled his cape about him a little closer. After examining her question for hidden meanings and dismissing thoughts of it being anything deeper than what she'd asked, he answered her. "Later," he said, as his face remained passive. "I will later." And with that said, he retreated into his thoughts as he strode from the room, his destination unknown even to him, as his ever present cape floated behind him.

Still feeling flushed, Yuffie crossed her arms as she sat sulking in the couch's corner with a small 'hmmpf'. "Mouu!" she pouted. 'Why does he have to be so…ugh…moody and…hot.'

Aeris had been smiling up to the point when Yuffie had asked that of Cloud, and a small version of her previous one had returned when Yuffie had begun her pouting. But it faded from her face as she watched Cloud's cape trail from the room. 'Why don't you, indeed, Cloud?' she wondered. 'I'm sure we'll talk about it.' With herself comforted, Aeris gave Yuffie a pat on the knee and smiled at Cid and Squall on her way out of the acceleration chamber to talk with Cloud.

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[Interrupted by Fireworks – Final Fantasy VII (3-16)]

He had found his way to the viewing chamber again, and he stood in front of the large viewing portal with his arms across his chest. It was too appealing, and he couldn't resist its draw. 'I always have been attracted to the night sky,' he recalled. 'Even in a foreign galaxy, their beauty never pales for me,' he marveled at this universe's stars. His reveling was interrupted by a quiet intrusion, not totally unwelcome when he saw whom it was. And half-turning to face her, he smiled gently, assuring her it was okay to approach him. And she came to him with hands clasped in front, stopping when she came even with him and smiling up at him before gazing out the window. Still smiling, Cloud returned to the stars.

And they enjoyed the silence for a time before Aeris shifted and quietly cleared her throat in preparation to speak. She bowed her head momentarily before voicing her questions, her ribbon bobbing with her motion. Still facing forward, she began with her most troubling thought. "Are you really alright, Cloud?"

Sighing as he heard the question, Cloud bowed his head as well, eyes closing in weariness. He could sense her worry grow as she feared she may have probed too deeply. Wanting to ease her fear, he spoke. "I wish I could say 'yes, I'm fine'. But I don't know anymore, Aeris." Opening his eyes, he took the conversation on a path that he knew would extend it into many hours. The stars were so beautiful. He hoped their beauty would not be lost on him when he was no longer human… And more than that, he hoped the day would never come when he wasn't able to gaze at their light and not appreciate it, not be taken over by their ravishing light. Looking directly at her now, he continued on knowing that he couldn't take it back. "I'm changing, Aeris. And I fear I will lose myself."

'His eyes are so beautiful. If you are changing Cloud, I hope you never lose that magnificent hue.' Shaking her head at herself, she decided that wasn't like her at all. So she moved to address the issue he had brought up and broke his arms apart to take hold of his hands. "What do you mean you're changing?" Shaking her head and smiling at him once again, she continued, "I'm sure you'll always keep your sense of reality about you."

By the smile on her face, he knew she didn't understand the gravity of what he was saying. And he knew his thoughts had been transferred to his face by her reaction. Aeris's demeanor changed immediately when she saw his expression fall severely and she gasped at this unexpected reaction. 'He looks like he's going to cry!' His face had jumped into that horribly sad expression only found on those with true heartbreak.

And he did indeed feel like crying. He felt so alone, unsure of what was happening. He had never really known who he was after escaping from Hojo. But he had created a new identity during his travels, and he'd be damned if he were to lose this one as well. 'I've never understood Vincent,' he mentally winced. 'But I want to talk to him more than anything right now. I know the pain he feels…' But he knew that wasn't yet possible, and he let that wish go…for the time being. Calming down, he forced himself into composure and straightened before Aeris, mentally preparing himself.

Giving her hands a gentle squeeze, he said, "I'm tired." And he gave her what he knew was a weak smile. He wanted her to know something was wrong. He wanted her to question him, to keep him from locking this issue away again. And with that pathetic smile on his face, he slowly released his fingers from her and began to exit the room.

Seeing what he was doing, Aeris grew unexplainably upset. "Cloud, no!" He had stopped at her exclamation, but remained facing the doorway to the hall, waiting for her to fulfill his hopes. "No! You're are not going to drop this. Not now!" she huffed, as she marched over to him, ready to drill him. 'This is too important to let slide any longer. Don't you see? It's hurting you too much!' Upon her stating she would not let him get away with it, relief filled him. And when Aeris reached up to his shoulder to pull him to face her, Cloud's sadly smiling face made her breath halt. 'Cloud…what is wrong with you?'

Aeris took moment herself to gather her thoughts, taking a deep breath as she did so. Putting her hand up to his cheek, she spoke, "Cloud, now you really have me worried. Please, I can see how much this is hurting you. Let's talk about it now."

Her soothing stroking halted when he placed his hand over hers and held onto it, that smile still on his face, but no longer sad. "That was my intention all along," he said with a sad hue to his eyes. "I was just leading you to a more secluded area, hence my 'tired' comment." The hand holding hers slid down to his chest as he moved his free one up to caress her cheek. "The bed chamber will offer the level of privacy I require." Looking in her eyes, he took her in. 'I hope I won't lose you after this, Aeris. For while my desire to always be with you will exist as long as I do, I can only hope you will still want me after tonight.' His admiring completed, he led her to the bed. Drawing the curtains behind them, he turned to face her in a truly terrifying revelation for him and reached his hand up to the clasp of his cape.

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Yuffie was growing tired of pouting since Cloud's departure some time ago. Strangely enough, Cid was still in his stupor. Surely the rejection couldn't have hurt that much. 'Hmmpf, he must be getting old.' She brought it down to that. Getting up, she went over to him and proceeded to poke at his closest arm. 'Flabby. Yep, definitely getting old.' Smiling wickedly to herself, she brought her other hand up to join in the poking. Aloud, she said, "Hey, Cid. I'm bored. Entertain me." She knew better than to bother Squall with her antics. He was often unreceptive and she got the feeling that all she did was annoy him. She liked him well enough and he was fun to fight with, but he wasn't very open. Not with her anyway. Aeris was another story. Yuffie would love to be closer to Squall, but she knew the polite relationship's sterility was in no fault of her own.

Still bent over in disappointment, Cid mumbled, "What, you mean like a tour or something?"

And Yuffie being in an oblivious state, agreed before registering what he'd said. "Yeah, sure, anything. As long as I can move around." And before she could even register his movement, Cid had cinched her wrist in his hand too tightly for her to break away from.

"Yeah haw! C'mon, I'mma show you what my newest baby's all about!" he exclaimed as he dragged her down the hallway and pointed out every little bolt and screw along the way. "This is gonna be great! Pay attention," he glared at her, "you might learn something. 'Bout time we filled that empty head of yours with something useful." Yuffie regretted even disturbing him out of his funk. The 'tour' commenced as Cid skipped around like a happy five-year-old with a lollipop and Yuffie donned a drooping face. Her only solace was that Squall had decided to tag along.

'At least he'll be some eye candy for me,' she brightened.

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[To Zanarkand – Final Fantasy X (1 - 02)]

Cloud's hand paused in its action as he sighed. Did he really want to do this? Sure she deserved to know, and she would eventually find out. Hell, she would definitely see it after they got married, if not before then. It did blend in with his clothes when he wasn't wearing the cape and many people missed it completely until he was seen from a side view, unless he was using it in such an obvious manner like gliding. But he intended to be disrobed quite often and it's kind of hard to hide a black wing against pale ass skin.

Halting his thoughts, he turned to Aeris, his hand dropping to his side. "When we were talking about my changing, I…" 'Damn, how do I put this into words?' The eloquent speech he had never prepared was failing him now. 'Shit, just say it,' he pushed himself on with a shake of the head. "I don't want to lose you, Aeris. But this is something you should know. I wanted you to have a chance to decide. So you could back out if you wanted to." And with his sad blue eyes glowing in the relative darkness of the chamber, he reached an arm up, his hand going just passed her left ear as he turned the lights of the bed room on. 'No good if she can't see it,' he berated himself.

Stepping back again, he returned to his collarbone. The practiced fingers of his right hand quickly undoing the left clasp first, then the right. And he kept his eyes on her the whole time as he presented himself to her, reading her reaction through her face. The feeling of the cape sliding down his back and calves felt so good that he had to fight the want to close his eyes. After it had hit the floor, he refocused on Aeris. Her face was still locked in confusion. So to remedy that, he flexed, making it rise above his head. He knew when she saw it, for despite all her good intentions, she could not keep her initial reactions hidden. Her eyes widened and her hand flew up to her mouth at her gasp of shock.

"Now you see what I mean," he began. "I am changing, and I hate it." The utter revulsion in his voice was a thing often missing from his speech. Only when he had talked of Sephiroth did such a tone come into it. "I think it's the Jenova cells in me. It's taken a number of years, but they're finally starting to manifest themselves in troubling ways. I can only wonder how long it will take until I advance to Vincent's level."

"Oh, Cloud," she said, moving forward to embrace him. "You were worried I'd leave you over a simple thing like that?" She couldn't help smiling into his chest at his foolishness. "I thought you would've known me better than that."

Cloud had not returned her embrace. He was trying to keep from getting more attached, if that was possible. He had asked her to marry him, after all. But he wanted to keep the pain from being any worse than it had to be. Knowing she couldn't see it but nodding anyway, he said, "I've been rejected for less."

Looking briefly up at him after that response, she muttered, "Oh, Cloud," and nuzzled into him again, squeezing harder until he finally relented and hugged her back. "I agreed to marry you. I wouldn't have done so if such a trivial thing would change my mind." And feeling his nod, she pulled back from him slightly. "Now then, do you suppose I could take a closer look at it?"

Puzzled by her request, Cloud could only nod dumbly at her. "Why…do you want to do that?" he asked as he stepped back from her and began to lift his shirt off. He had freed his left arm first so he could gingerly work the cloth around the wing.

[Ending Theme & Suteki Da Ne (Orchestral Vrs.) – Final Fantasy X (4 - 19)&(4-21)]

Aeris answered his question, stating that perhaps she would be able to purge it if had indeed been caused by Jenova cells. Remaining skeptical, Cloud continued to remove his shirt. And Aeris watched in fascination of the command he had over its movements as he folded the wing to reduce the surface area that had to pass through the material. 'He's had it for quite some time if he can move it the way he wants to so effortlessly.' He had to bend over slightly in order to work the wing free, and as that was taking a little longer than she thought it would, she began to examine his newly exposed skin. 'He's…pretty built. I always knew his arms were buff from swinging that big sword of his, but I didn't think the rest of him was!' His abdominal muscles were particularly prominent in his bent over position and the current focal point for her gaze. His straightening broke her from her trance, but not as quickly as she would have liked. She just knew he had seen her staring…

Which he confirmed when he asked of her, "You alright? You're a little red there." And nodding abashedly, she went up to him and poked him to turn around. He did so with a little knowing smile on his face.

"Yes, I'm fine," she punctuated with another poke to his lower back. "I just didn't think anything besides your arms would be so…defined," she said as she began to look closer at his new appendage. She could see him turn his head at that last remark and smile over his shoulder. She was secretly pleased to know that she could affect Cloud as effectively as he did her. His clenching of the shirt in his hand when she had touched him did not go unnoticed. Trying hard to block him out, she peered closely at where the wing adjoined to his shoulder blade. 'The muscles are so hard here, too,' she thought as she felt around the joining. 'And different. Hmm,' she speculated to herself, 'Jenova's cells must have initiated the growing of the muscles necessary to carry out the wing's full potential. That must be why the extra muscle mass is here.'

Holding her hand against the wing, she listened to the alien cells. At first they cried out in alarm as they recognized her Cetra heritage. They knew their destroyer. But after a bit of non-action on her part, they quieted down and she was able to hear their history. And they had mostly confirmed her theory. But more importantly, she found they had merged with Cloud's cells on an extremely deep level. It was impossible to purge them from him. Even as she observed them, they anchored themselves further into tissues with some of the earliest threads already bonding to his backbone and ribs. But the most frightening thing was the excitement the cells were emitting. Straining to understand what it meant, she touched her forehead to the wing. But their murmuring was unintelligible and she was unable to determine what had them so hyped up. Knowing she could do no more, Aeris pulled back, but continued to examine him. Running her hand across his shoulder blade and tracing the buried threads, she felt along the backbone where they had joined and secured their survival. 'Hmm. If only they hadn't anchored here, I might have been able to remove them,' was her frustrated thought. It was too dangerous to mess with that. So many sensitive parts involved.

Aeris let her hand continue on its course across the width of his shoulders, her motive purely self-pleasuring now. She was aware of the further tightening of his muscles and clenching of his shirt. He had even turned his head towards his right shoulder enough that she could see his closed eyes over it. Looking back to her hand as it trailed further, she noticed a red and somewhat raw spot on that shoulder blade. Running her fingers in short back and forward motions over it, she voiced to Cloud, "There's a red spot here."

Hearing the puzzlement in her voice, Cloud opened his eyes and peered over his shoulder at the spot she was indicating. "It's probably just from my scabbard," he said, allaying her concern as he turned to face forward again. "I had to have a new one made that would accommodate my wing, and that sore is probably just from it rubbing against my skin."

Aeris nodded at his reasoning. 'It makes sense, having to adjust to new equipment. I know it sometimes took me awhile back when were all traveled together.' Mellowing, Aeris's hand flattened against that spot and her action caused Cloud to once again turn his head to look at her. "I'm sorry, Cloud. There's nothing I can do." And when she saw and felt him slump at her report, she couldn't help but feel that she had let him down.

Her news had been expected, but it had still been disappointing. Shaking his head at her, he said, "It's ok. I knew you wouldn't be able to do anything, anyway." Aeris put her left arm around him as her right slid up to the top of his shoulder. Throwing his shirt on the bed with a sideways toss of his arm, his now freed right hand came up to clasp hers atop his shoulder as his left arm blanketed hers around his waist in an attempt to comfort her. "Don't worry, Aeris. I didn't expect you to be able to do a thing. It was just foolish hoping on my part. I guess a bigger part of me than I realized hoped you would be able to perform a miracle." And with that said, he turned to press his lips into their grasping hands.

Pressing herself farther into him, she said, "Me, too, Cloud. Me, too."

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Yuffie wasn't all that bored, really. It was kinda neat to see what Cid had done with all those little, itty, bitty parts he was fussing over. She had to admit she was impressed, the hell if she would tell him that though. Squall was even showing interest. 'Well, interest for him, anyway,' she amended. The only way he really expressed his interest was by looking around and actually paying attention. 'Eh,' she sighed to herself, 'I'll enjoy myself.'

Cid had showed them every room so far. There was even a second level in the ship! She hadn't known that. But it was mostly occupied by the engines, weapons, and shield generators. There was also a large storage area. Cid had said that he knew he wanted one, but didn't know what specific purpose to design it for. So he had left it mostly open with a large loading door off to the side. He had commented that he wanted to make sure he could haul chocobo in it. And it was definitely large enough for that. It looked to her as if he had even included a rack and pen area where hay could be kept.

Yuffie had never been extremely fond of chocobo, but she did miss Cloud's greatly. He had a way with those animals. With the creatures brought up, Yuffie reflected back to their travels, and more specifically to a time when Cloud had been interacting with one of his more favored chocobo.

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[Crying in Sorrow - Final Fantasy IV Piano Collection (1-01)]

They were all outside the Nibel area, on their way back to see if they could find any more information in the library that would help them stop Sephiroth. Aeris wasn't…with them anymore. Her death had been a few months ago, but it was still very fresh in all their minds. Cloud had always been the most distant from the group, but now he was even more so. When they camped for the night, he spent most of his time outside of it, sitting by himself and often staring into the sky. It's like Aeris was his tie to their group, and with her gone, so was his excuse for interacting. Yuffie wasn't sure how that made Tifa feel, but she knew that it had to have hurt her. Tifa really liked Cloud, of that Yuffie was pretty sure. But she had never seen her go up and try to comfort Cloud after he had brushed her off the last few times. It's like she was giving up on him. Shaking her head, Yuffie got up from her place beside the fire. When Cid and Barret questioned her of her destination, she made a comment along the lines of it being none of their business. They probably thought she was gonna walk off with their materia again. 'Geez,' she thought, 'if I was gonna do that, I would've done it long ago. I've had more than enough opportunities. Besides, I wouldn't have stuck around with you for so long if that had been my plan. Unfortunately,' she sighed while shaking her head slightly, 'you guys have grown on me.' And so double-checking that her Conformer was equipped, in case of any trouble on her way, she left the safety of camp, off to check up on Cloud.

There was a mist surrounding the area. And she remembered Tifa saying that Nibelheim always had a blanket of it at night. Was part of living in the mountains, she'd said. Yuffie liked it. It added a mysterious air about the place, a quality she had always attributed to Cloud. And as she overcame this last hill and he came into sight, she couldn't have imagined it any other way. He was wearing his cloak, they all had one, for it was quite cold up north. His hood was down and folded on his back, and she could see the handle on Ultima Weapon protruding from underneath the right shoulder of his cloak. As a result, his cloak was askew and she could see the skin of his arm. It looked uncomfortable, but it didn't seem to bother Cloud.

He was holding the reigns in his right hand while the left was stroking Seraph along the beak. She wasn't surprised to find him with her. He had been spending lots of time with the chocobo since she had hatched. She knew Cloud loved it, and that was made so obvious by all the attention he gave it. But what Yuffie found amazing was that all of his chocobo seemed to feel the same about him. They would do certain actions that left no doubt they adored him. And to prove her right, Seraph had rubbed her beak into Cloud's hand, then pushed it out of the way to nuzzle his neck. The smile that came to his face at that had such wonderfully gentling effects on his features that Yuffie would've believed he was at total peace if she had been a stranger. But she knew that for him it was only a momentary rest. What Cloud did next made her stop in her tracks. After he had removed Seraph's beak from his neck, he had laid his forehead against her head, and the hand with the reigns came up to stroke the soft plumage along the length of her neck. He never so openly displayed affection.

'Yep,' she thought, ' he's got a way with those shitters.'

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While she had been remembering, the tour had ended. And Cid had chosen the sleeping chambers as a finishing point. 'Was he trying to make a not so subtle suggestion?' she thought sarcastically. But then she almost took that thought back. It had been a very long day, and so exciting. It had worn her out. 'It does sound good, actually. Well, maybe I will take a nap.' Figuring the one with the open curtain was free and she suspected that Cloud or Aeris, maybe both, were in the other one, she opted for this one and moved toward it. Noticing Squall hide his yawn, she suddenly remembered Cid saying there were only two beds. 'Holy Da Chao!' she exclaimed. 'Am I gonna have to share a bed with him!?!?' She was so red, she could feel it. 'Guess I'll have to be extra careful and not drool on him.' And with a red face and sleepy head, she crawled into bed and leaving the curtain open to tell him she would share the bunk, she settled down for sleep.

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And so ends chapter three. The next chapter for sure will be more angsty as Squall and Cloud spend more time together and new developments arise from Cloud.

Updates and revisions always a possibility.

Ciao

Mandy138