6. Something's got a hold of my heart...

Aeris managed to lower him to the ground, biting back a sob of fear as she saw all the blood. Sephiroth had lost consciousness, yet his hand was still clutching the Masamune. She scrambled over to her back-pack and pulled out the very blankets she'd used to keep him warm when he'd returned to life. Now Aeris was praying to them to help her keep him alive! Maneuvering one under his back, she placed it against the wound, and tore the second blanket in half to place one part over the gushing wound in his chest. Aeris couldn't help but to notice how soaked her hands were with his blood, and they trembled as she used the final piece of the blanket to tear into what she could use to tie around him, hoping to keep the blankets pressuring at the wounds.

"Hang on," she whispered intensely, "don't you dare to die on me now! I swear I'm gonna follow you into the depths of the Death Realm and yank you back! You hear?!"

Aeris sniffled as tears were blurring her sight, and she absently wiped the back of her hand over her cheek, unaware of the streak of blood left in it's wake. "Y-you just rest now, ok? I'll figure out what we're gonna do..." Getting up on weak legs, she glanced helplessly around. They were in the middle of nowhere. There were no one there she could ask for help, and ice were surrounding them on every side. Hopelessness threatened to strangle her, and Aeris fought down air into her lungs. "Don't panic, you silly girl," she scolded herself, "that wont help at all! Think... Think!"

She knew she had no chance of carrying Sephiroth, and he was turning paler by the seconds. There was no time for her to reach the town of Icicle and return with help, he would perish while she was gone. There had to be a way! She refused to give up! Somewhere along this trip, Aeris had gone from swearing to stop Sephiroth to vowing to save his soul and make him live instead of exist! Aeris clutched her hands into tight fists and her eyes narrowed. "I'll get us out of here," she declared, taking a step towards the exit. It was eerily quiet outside the cave, and Aeris wondered if the invisible barrier had something to do with it. Jenova was still there, it's presence like someone watching you that you yourself couldn't see. The feeling of something breathing down your neck. Shuddering, Aeris pulled her jacket a little closer around herself and glanced around. Steep hills and miles to walk. She closed her eyes and swallowed down her tears, "dear ancestors... if you can hear me through Jenova's barrier... I could really use a little help here..."

It was naive to think the spirits would hear her, much less help her. Sighing at her own feebleness, Aeris turned to enter the cave again. The sight that met her as she turned made her eyes widen and she shrieked in surprise.

The chocobo's jumped backwards with startled warks, and stomped their feet offended.

Aeris stared disbelieving from one to the other, having to reach out and touch a feathery neck before she could really believe it. "Y-you two...You followed us?" She instantly recognized the two birds she had nagged Sephiroth into helping them pass the monster that had initially trapped them.

One of the chocobo's warked softly, gently nudging it's head against her shoulder, and Aeris felt the tears well up again. Tears of relief this time.

"You've come to help...?" Aeris reached out and petted each bird, "please, I need your help!"

And despite how everyone said chocobo's were stupid animals, the two birds followed her of their own accord and even the chocobo that had stepped on Sephiroth's boot warked concerned at the sight that met them.

"I know," Aeris agreed pained, and gazed over at the yellow bird, "we have to get him help! We need to get to Icicle Inn. Can you help us?"

The huge bird warked cheerfully, flapping it's comically small wings, before lying down beside the wounded man.

Aeris breathed relieved, scratching it's neck gratefully. "Thank you!" She then began the difficult task of getting Sephiroth on the chocobo. Groaning as she managed to get him somewhat hoisted up, Aeris slowly leaned him over the bird's back. "For someone with your slender frame, you sure is heavier than you look, Sephiroth!" She continued tweaking, pulling and shoving until she got the former general into a slouched, somewhat sitting position.

Wiping her sweaty forhead, Aeris nodded satisfied and climbed up behind him. "Remember, if you fall off, Sephiroth, you're taking me with you and it's a long way down!" She yelped and placed her arms around him to grasp a hold of the feathery neck of the chocobo as it got up, and barely managed to keep Sephiroth in place. The other chocobo warked confused and tilted it's head quizzically at her.

Aeris gave an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry. It's not you, but he can't ride on his own. He'll just fall off."

The bird warked cheerfully and trotted off. Aeris barely had time to draw a sharp breath, then they were on their way!

Aeris had no idea where they were going, but she trusted the animals to get them to safety. She was too busy worrying over how the blankets were now soaked through with blood, and she had never seen a person so pale as Sephiroth was at that moment.

Luckily the chocobos were used to the landscape, and easily climbed hills and jumped over plateaus.

The bumpy ride seemed to last for hours, and maybe it did, and Aeris leaned her cheek to Sephiroths shoulderblade while closing her eyes.

He was still breathing, she could feel his every breath against her, and she hoped her closeness was providing him with some warmth at least. Aeris was not sure how long they had been standing there, but she suddenly realised the chocobos had stopped.

Straightening, she gasped in relief as she found herself by the back way into Icicle Inn town!

The chocobo hesitatingly walked over the the inn as Aeris nudged it's sides with her heels, and warked suspiciously as the door opened. An elderly lady blinked confused at the sight that met her. The two chocobos. One carrying the slumped form of a man, his long silver hair swaying softly in the wind. And the young girl preventing him from falling off from where she sat behind him, her clothes soaked in blood. "Please... I need your help..."

The old woman started to life and flung open the door and yelled for her employees. "Good Planet, girl! What's happened? A monster did this to your friend? Are you unharmed, child?"

Aeris nodded wearily as two men slowly slid Sephiroth of the restless chocobo and carried him inside. "Yes... A monster..."

She got off as well, but turned to hug each chocobo in turn. "Thank you," Aeris whispered, "you may have saved us all. Take care..."

The birds warked, and she stepped back as they spun around and ran off back into the wild. Aeris watched them disappear, then glanced up at the sky before reacting to the elderly woman ushering her inside.

It was so wonderfully warm inside, but Aeris instantly asked about her friends condition.

"They're getting the doctor now," the old woman explained, tugging off Aeris' blood-stained jacket. "What about you, child? Are you sure you are unharmed?"

Tears filled in Aeris' eyes once again, but she forced them back as she glanced up at the room she could see people running in with bandages and bowls with medicine. "Yes, I'm completely unharmed. Thanks to him."

The lady glanced up as well, "he must be some man, that friend of yours. Not many people would be willing to take such an injury to save someone's life..."

Silent tears ran down Aeris cheeks as she took a step towards the stairs, "he's just beginning to bloom..." She gazed quickly back at the old woman, "I have to go to him." Without waiting to her the objection, she ran up the stairs and came to a halt in the doorway just in time to see a man sitting down on the bed beside Sephiroth. They had removed his armour and bared his torso, and Aeris closed her eyes hard at the sight of the wound in his chest.

"It's bad," the man beside Sephiroth mumbled, opening a small kit to pick up a needle. "Don't know how much we can do for him..."

"Don't say that!" Aeris exclaimed loudly, her heart suddenly racing with panic, "he'll be just fine! He can't die!"

She felt arms go around her and she fought franticly to free herself as tears flowed freely. "He can't die, I say! Not now!" Aeris reached out for the silent form on the bed as she was pulled out of the room, "you can't die! I won't allow you! PLEASE! Don't leave me! Please... Don't..."

And darkness came up to swallow her into silence...

Aeris woke up as her head ached beyond belief, and she groaned softly. Where were she? What had happened? She slowly realised she was lying in a bed, and painfully opened her eyes.

"Oh, you're awake," a voice said, and someone walked towards her.

"Yes," Aeris whispered, "I'm awake... What happened...?"

The elderly lady appeared as she leaned over to place a wash cloth on Aeris' forhead, "you fainted, dear."

Fainted? Aeris frowned confused, then slowly began to remember. Yes, they'd said Sephiroth wouldn't make it. They'd said he would die...! The thought of Sephiroth dead... she wasn't sure why, but it made it hard to breathe. Sephiroth!

Aeris sat up abruptly, yanking the cloth away. "My friend! How is he?!" Her heart was once again hammering with fear, and she dreaded the answer she might get.

"Now, now, child," the woman scolded gently, trying to make her lie down again, "your friend is resting. And you should do the same. We don't want you fainting again, do we?"

Aeris slowly eased down into the pillow once more, eyes searching the woman's, "he's... going to be alright...?"

Tensing, the elderly woman cleared her throat and fidgeted with Aeris sheet, "they... wouldn't say. He's a strong one, your friend, so they didn't say all hope was gone."

Aeris sat up again, "I have to see him..." She brushed away the woman's hands that tried to keep her still, "he doesn't trust anyone. He needs to hear my voice. He needs to know I'm there, that I haven't left him. I promised."

Giving up, the woman sighed and got up as well, "you won't listen to reason, will you, dearie?"

Managing a faint smile, Aeris glanced over at her, "I think I gave up reason when I walked over to his fire one evening that seems a lifetime ago..." She then gathered her courage and quickly set course for Sephiroth's room.

Placing her hand on the closed door, Aeris rested her forhead against the surface for a few seconds, not sure what sight that would meet her. He was still alive, she had to focus on that. Focus on being strong.

Drawing a deep breath, she then pushed open the door and entered the room. "Sephiroth...?"

They had pulled the curtains in front of the windows, so the room was dimly lit, but she could easily make out the surroundings and walked over to the bed.

Sephiroth seemed asleep, sheets pulled up over his chest hid his wound, and she was tempted to believe it had all been a bad dream. But she knew...

Aeris sat down on a chair beside the bed and reached out to take his hand in hers. It felt so cold. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm still here... I told you I wouldn't run from you, so here I am. Listen, we still have things to do here, ok? So don't get any plans about bailing on me!"

She bent forward and placed her lips briefly to his hand before resting her cheek to it, "you saved my life... But if you think that makes us even for you taking it once, you're dead wrong, buster! Don't you know how long a woman can hold a grudge? I'm still not satisfied, so you better wake up and get better!"

The silence was slowly killing her, and she gazed up at his face. So pale and helpless. It was so wrong to see him like this. Sephiroth always seemed to radiate life, raw energy and strength. Still, it was something about seeing him in this weakened state; Sephiroth was indeed human. He was equally able to bleed and die as everyone else, and his blood just as red as theirs. Jenova hadn't won over his soul.

"Very well," Aeris whispered, reaching out to stroke a lock of silver hair from his face, "you just rest a little while longer then... I'll be right by your side... so when you wake up, I'm here with you..."

Then she clutched his hand as she placed her hands on the mattress, and rested her head on them as her eyelashes grew so heavy...

Aeris felt warm and safe, and the lovely feeling of someone gently stroking her hair made her slowly arise from slumber land. Blinking drowsily, she raised her head to see who it was, and her heart jumped as her sleepiness vanished instantly.

Sephiroth managed a weak smile, letting his hand sink down to the mattress beside her. "Sorry... Didn't mean to wake you..."

Staring, Aeris didn't dare to believe it. Didn't dare to breathe. It was a dream! It had to be... She shivered and kept staring.

"What...?" Sephiroth frowned slightly, "what's wrong?"

He was alive! He was awake! He was frowning in that superior way of his! Aeris bit back a scream of joy and it came out as a half-choked squeak.

Gritting his teeth in pain, Sephiroth inched up slightly and gazed around, speaking in a slightly raspy voice, "what...?!" Clearly there had to be some horribly monster hanging in the ceiling or she'd just won the lottery to make her this speechless!

Aeris waved her hands, carefully pushing him into the pillows again despite his pained groan, "stay still, silly! You'll tear up all the stitches!" She corrected the sheets that had slipped down to his waist, and cleared her throat embarrassed. "There. Now, stop jumping around!"

Huffing, Sephiroth was too tired to go into a hissy fit, "then stop acting like a weirdo!"

"I thought you were going to die!" Aeris exclaimed, grasping his hand tightly.

"So?!" Sephiroth tugged at his hand, increasingly annoyed at his own weakened state.

He fell silent when she lifted his hand to her cheek and stared at him with tear-filled eyes, "I was so scared that you were going to die... If only I was a decent fighter, then you wouldn't have to watch over me all the time... a-and you wouldn't have gotten hurt!" Aeris turned to press her lips against his hand, feeling how much warmer he was now.

Now it was Sephiroth's turn to stare, but he managed to gather himself. "Bah, you're a decent fighter, I've seen you. Strength might not be your thing, but I've never seen anyone with healing abilities like yours..."

Aeris shook her head, still clutching his hand to her cheek, "if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have been hurt!"

Snorting, Sephiroth gave her a solemn look, "if it hadn't been for you, I would've been dead. Either by Jenova's tricks, the Planet's revenge or some SOLDIER, my path was leading to my death in some way or another."

Jenova. He'd referred to the creature by it's name, not as 'mother'! Aeris drew a shivering breath, managing a smile, "I'm so glad you're going to be ok..."

Sephiroth sighed wearily, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back into the pillow, "you're a strange, little girl..."

"And you're a ungrateful brute," Aeris declared. 'Strange, little girl'?!

Chuckling without opening his eyes, Sephiroth gave her hand a little squeeze, "don't worry about it. After all, I'm a strange man, so I shouldn't talk."

Aeris had to laugh softly, then tilted her head as she studied his face, "but I am really glad you're going to be ok, Sephiroth..."

Her only reply was a silent sigh and she smiled slightly as she mumbled to herself; "he sleeps..."

Leaning forward, she placed a feather-light kiss on his forhead, and got up to place his hand by his side and arrange the sheet slightly higher over his chest. Aeris knew he was going to be ok now, and an incredible weight was lifted of her shoulders.

Watching him silently for a little while, Aeris then turned to return to her own room as the need for sleep was wearing her down. Out in the hall way, she closed the door silently and was about to walk down the hall when Aeris found herself face to face with the elderly lady that had taken them in.

"That man in there," the old woman said, "that is General Sephiroth, is it not...?"

Aeris felt a wave of ice cold dread flow over her and she tensed nervously, "what if he is...?"

The woman was staring at the door, "they say he's trying to destroy the Planet..."

"I know that, but it's not true!" Aeris declared intensely, "it wasn't him! He's trying to help us now!" She scolded herself for thinking they were out of danger for a even a minute. "I swear to you, he's no danger to us! We need him! He's the greatest warrior there is!"

The elderly lady shook her head, "I hope you know what you're doing..." Then turned to leave.

"Wait," Aeris called out, "don't tell anyone... Please..."

Shrugging, the woman slowly made her way down the stairs, "your secret is safe."

Aeris walked over to peer over the railing down at the elderly lady, "why are you helping us...?"

She barely heard the woman's reply;

"Because I knew your father, Aeris..."

Those words kept her awake for many hours, and when sleep finally over-powered Aeris she didn't dream at all. Even her mind seemed too tired to be able to come up with something, so she was blessed with silence.

The sun was high in the sky when she finally awoke, and Aeris scrambled into the bathroom. Why hadn't anyone woken her up? She hurried and was soon trotting down the hall to Sephiroth's room. Was he asleep too? What if he'd woken up and ran off? What if others had found out who he was and had come to hurt him?!

Aeris nearly ran straight into the elderly lady and yelped as the tray the woman was carrying swayed dangerously.

"I'm sorry! I didn't see you..." Aeris apologized as the woman got her balance again, "I'm so sorry!"

The elderly lady smiled and nodded towards the door, "I was just bringing him some soup. Maybe you would like to...?"

Once again surprised by the kindness, Aeris accepted the tray, "thank you." She saw the woman smile enigmatically while turning to leave. It was like that woman knew something Aeris herself didn't.

Shrugging it off, Aeris knocked on the door, smiled at the gruff, "enter!" At least he was awake and alive!

"Hi there," Aeris greeted as she entered, balancing the tray on one hand. "How are you feeling?"

Sephiroth was sitting up in his bed, glaring grouchily at her. "Like I've been impaled by a sword! How do you think I'm feeling? Doesn't anyone in the forsaken town have any Restore Materia?!"

Aeris walked over to sit down on the bed beside him and placed the tray on her lap as she removed the lids on the bowls, "nope. They don't rely on materia here as there is hardly any fighting."

Huffing, Sephiroth turned his face away, glaring at the curtains still covering the windows. "Understandable. Who would want this miserable excuse for a town anyway!"

My, someone was grumpy, Aeris thought with a smile, then lifted a soup-filled spoon slightly towards him. "I bet somebody is hu-ungry!"

His face snapped back to glare at her, but his eyes flickered at the sight that met him. The thought of her feeding him did obviously not sit very well...

"Give me that," Sephiroth barked, grasping the spoon. "I don't need you babying me!"

Aeris maneuvered the tray over to his lap, "of course not..." Then she leaned over and fluffed his pillow, before placing a hand on his forhead. "Seems like the fever is gone..." Aeris smiled brightly at his withering look, settling to sit quietly on the bed as he ate.

He was still tense, but she knew it came from feeling exposed from being in such a weakened state. Sephiroth would hardly be able to put up resistance should anyone attack him right now...

And Aeris could also see him start with pain from time to time as he drew breath, knowing the cut might have injured his left lung...

"Anyway," she chirped as Sephiroth pushed the tray away after a few minutes, "we're safe here, so you just concentrate on getting better!" Taking the tray, she walked over to place it on the table by the door before returning to his side.

Sephiroth hoisted himself slightly higher, grunting with pain, "how do you know we're safe? If anyone finds out who I am... Actually, I'm surprised no one has noticed yet."

Aeris leaned over and adjusted the pillow behind the muttering Sephiroth's back, "well... don't worry about it. Can I get you anything else?"

He was eyeing her drily as she sat back, "yeah, some cure materia!"

Poking her tongue at him, Aeris then patted his knee lightly, "seriously!"

Sephiroth turned his face away from her, "seriously? There isn't much you can get me is there?"

"Candy?" Aeris suggested, then giggled at the venomous look he sent her. "Fine, the candy can wait until you're better and only handed out under supervision!" She tilted her head as she studied his face, amazed to see him with his normal complexion and with barely faint traces of weariness. "Wow... you're looking much better than yesterday! In a few days maybe you wont even need Restore Materia...!"

An almost childish look of sulkiness came over Sephiroth's face and he snorted angrily, "a few more days in here and I'll turn into mildew!"

Giggling, Aeris jumped to her feet, "then it'll be my responsibility to keep you from such a horrible fate! I'll just have to find some way to entertain you then!" And before he could object, she left the room.

Sephiroth sighed and leaned back as he closed his eyes. True, his wound didn't bother him as much anymore as long as he didn't jump around too much, and he had a sneaking suspicion that was because of something in that soup. Still, if the people here intended to take his life, he would have been dead by now, so he figured it was some sort of herbal pain-killer or something. Sephiroth couldn't understand why they were helping him, but he wondered if they thought they were doing Aeris a favour. He couldn't see her lying about his identity, as he couldn't see her lying about anything, so they were probably all captured by her kind eyes and gentle spirit. Bah, if they only knew what he'd done to her, then Sephiroth wouldn't be safe much longer! He smiled wryly, glancing over at the door. His senses told him he had to get out of there, that he wasn't safe among humans in his weakened state, but his body warned him of trying anything. Besides, Sephiroth sighed again, the world was going to come to a crashing end soon enough so why bother trying to escape?

He tried drowsing, but despite his tired body was his mind fully active and Sephiroth soon found himself bored beyond belief! The once so great general had never been in bed this long throughout his entire life! Where was that girl?! Not that he was worried about her or anything, he told himself gruffly, but she had promised to keep him from turning mad with boredom! Still... there was a slight chance they might see her as a traitor for helping him, wasn't there? An uneasy feeling began to settle in his stomach, and Sephiroth tensed. She was an experienced fighter, but he knew she had no weapon and if the entire town was against them... Sephiroth shifted restlessly, not sure why the thought of anyone hurting Aeris made him so furious. Alright, she had saved his life, it was probably that! Yeah, some sort of gratitude debt or something... It had absolutely nothing to do with her sparkling eyes or the way her smile made him giddish and nervous like some rookie or anything! Wait, since when had he noticed her smile?! "Right," Sephiroth muttered to himself, sitting up with a pained groan, "that's it. This idleness is already affecting my brain! I'm going to see what's going on!"

No sooner did the door open, and Aeris rushed over. "Nonono! What do you think you're doing?! You have to stay in bed! You can't run around with a wound like that, Sephiroth! You nearly died!"

Refusing to admit the relief at her appearance, Sephiroth let her guide him back into the pillows with a grumble, "yeah, nearly died of boredom!"

That's when he noticed she had placed two cups on the night table and a small package.

"What's that?" He nodded towards them as he brushed away her hands as they were arranging the sheet over his chest.

Aeris sat up and smiled brightly, "ever tasted hot chocolate?"

He gazed emptily at her, having no idea what it was.

Still smiling, she took a gentle hold of his shoulders and eased him up to push several more pillows behind his back.

Sephiroth closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of flowers from her, and his mind numbly wondered how she could still smell like spring flowers here in the middle of the ice lands... Then he started back to his senses and fanned her away as he found himself in a sitting position, supported by the pillows so he had no pressure to his wound. "I told you I don't need you babying me!"

Aeris didn't appear fazed by his words at all, "everybody needs a little taking care of once in a while, and something tells me you haven't gotten too much of it, so be quiet and enjoy it while it lasts!" She also didn't seem to notice the stunned look on his face as her words hit their mark painfully well.

Clearing his throat to regain some dignity, Sephiroth tried to change the subject, "so what about hot chocolate?"

Placing one cup between his hands, Aeris looked even more curious than him, "it's warm, so be careful, ok?"

She still had no faith in his strength, Sephiroth thought grumpily. Like some drink could be too warm for him to handle?! Smelling the steam rising from the cup, Sephiroth had to admit it did have a divine scent. He saw her blow carefully into her own cup before taking a careful sip. Shrugging, he did the same.

It was... wonderful! Warm, sweet and thick. Unaware of doing so, Sephiroth smacked his lips softly as he savoured the taste. Glancing up, he saw Aeris smile at him, and before he could stop himself did he smile back at her. She was making it damn hard to keep from smiling in her company!

But when the small package she'd brought proved to be a deck of cards, Sephiroth avoided suggestions of what games to play by studying his hot chocolate.

"Come on," Aeris prodded, "surely even SOLDIERS know how to play cards? All that waiting time in the field before and after great battles, no?"

Sephiroth smiled slightly, "you're right. There usually was a deck of cards involved, but I doubt you would survive playing that game..."

Aeris could hardly believe her ears! She recognized a challenge when she heard one, and this was a challenge!

Huffing, she began shuffling the cards, "I can take you up on any game, mister! And beat you in it!"

The silverhaired man merely chuckled and sipped his drink again, "dubious."

"Try me," Aeris declared, staring at him. She was no coward, and thanks to Reno, the Turk, she'd learned most of the shady games on the planet!

Sephiroth lowered the cup, gazing calmly at her. "No."

Fighting the urge to slap him, knowing it would cause him more pain than she'd intend to because of his wound, Aeris resorted to pleading. "Oh, come on, please? Or are you scared that I'll beat you?"

She grinned as she saw his eyebrow raise a notch, but then the former general put his cup away.

"Listen, just forget about it," Sephiroth sighed, "it's not a game for little girls."

Aeris glared at him, "tell me!"

Sephiroth glared back, "no."

Aeris leaned closer, "tell me!!"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, "no!"

Aeris placed a finger hovering over where his wound was. "Tell. Me!"

Sephiroth glanced down at her finger, then met her eyes, weighed how much he believed her threat and finally raised his eyebrow again, "strip-poker."

Aeris stared. Then she felt a burning blush flood her face and she straightened abruptly. "Oh," she squeaked.

The silverhaired man chuckled satisfied, shrugging lazily, "told you. Now, leave me the cards and I'll play solitaire while you do something exciting, like washing your hair."

Gasping with offence, Aeris waved the cards under his nose, "that's it! You're going down, mister smarty-pants! Poker it is!" She huffed embarrassed, "b-but not... we're not doing the stripping part, as it wouldn't be fair to you. I mean, I'm much more dressed than you, s-so..."

Sephiroth smiled like a wolf, "what makes you think you'll be able to get a single piece of clothing off me? I happen to be the champion of poker, you know..."

Swallowing hard, Aeris waved his words away, "poker it is. Now, you just get ready to be humiliated!"

Placing a hand over hers to halt her shuffling the cards, Sephiroth tilted his head as she met his eyes, "but we have to have a bet, or it's not even worth playing!"

Feeling oddly powerless under his touch and amazing eyes, Aeris managed to whisper, "a b-bet...?"

Nodding, Sephiroth released her and pretended to ponder things carefully. "Tell you what... if you win... I'll let you braid my hair."

Aeris giggled happily, the image too good to turn down. "Okay, I'll agree to that one!"

"But...!" Sephiroth smirked, "if I win..."

Aeris felt her heart hammering in her chest, her skin tingling with nervousness, "...yes?"

He let his voice become a silky smoothness, "should I win, which I will, I want... a kiss."

AN

This isn't really a cliffie, is it...?

Anyway, just wanted to say I've been through a pretty harsh time in my life and it's been wonderful to be able to slip into the FF7 world and escape for a little while.

Once again, huge thank you to every single one of your reviews!

Thanks for making my days a little brighter!

And next chapter is already in writing!