A/N: Happy late Thanksgiving everybody. I hustled to get this out so I hope it's okay for everyone, and I hope I'll be getting happy reviews. BUT THIS IS NOT THE ENDING!

xkuroxshinobix- I do feel better, I went out to visit him Thanksgiving Day. Here's your update.

Bakkablair- hugs tightly thank you, I hope you like this chapter better; I tried hard on this one. I know, it would be so funny, I had no idea he had low blood pressure until recently.

Phantom Dark- Hello friend, here's a chapter I think you'll enjoy.

Word dreamer 999- I agree, but he is hot though, lol.

Clarence Hikari- Well, not to make him seem stalkerish, but Aeris caught Dark's attention and held it. When he's not off stealing things he's usually where she is, talking to her or just watching over her.

Lil-saturn-goddess- thanks; I hope you'll really like this one.

Yipster54- Thank you for keeping the faith! I wish I had a guy like Satoshi, but I get stuck liking this guy who's as dense as a brick -.- lol

Redrose Moon- I am almost finished with this one and I really do want to make a sequel so I've been brainstorming about what would happen. (I just can't seem to hang this one up, I like it too much)

Part XIII

"The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."- Martin Luther King Jr.

Aeris gently lowered herself onto the grass and leaned against Satoshi's shoulder. "I still think this is a bad idea." He grumbled, plopping a rice ball into his mouth.

Riku stuck out her tongue at him. "You think her ever coming back to school is a bad idea."

"I'm fine Satoshi." Aeris said quickly. Her health was the only thing she ever lied to him about.

Honestly she was in a lot of pain, her back was white hot where all the glass shards had gone in.

Daisuke exchanged a half amused half exasperated glance with Riku. "Maybe Satoshi's right Aeris, you really shouldn't push yourself."

Takeshi flopped down beside them. "Yeah, if you do you'll kill yourself and disappoint all those other guys who want to do it."

Aeris laughed, but she was the only one who did.

"Ow! She thought it was funny!" Takeshi yelled, rubbing his arm where Satoshi had struck.

Daisuke lifted his book bag higher up on his back. "So you two haven't actually gone out yet, like to the movies or dinner."

"That is true." Satoshi nodded.

"Haven't even technically asked her if she wants to be your girlfriend." Takeshi grinned.

"Or told her that you like her." Masahiro agreed. "Better get to it, the only thing that's holding the other guys back is the fact you're constantly near her."

Satoshi waited patiently for Aeris after the school bell had rung. Inside he was nervous, though he told himself he had no reason to be. He was pretty sure that Aeris wanted no one other than himself, but he wasn't completely sure, and that rattled him.

"Satoshi, you waited!" Aeris beamed at him as they fell into step together.

"I wanted to talk to you about later." He cleared his throat. "Would you like to do something with me?"

Aeris blinked. He'd never really asked her like that. "Sure, what do you want to do?"

A look of panic passed over his face as if he hadn't expected her to say yes. "How about a movie?"

Aeris's brightened. "How about renting King Arthur? I never got the chance to see it in theaters."

"Sounds good."

Dark watched overhead as the occupied Satoshi walked, carrying a plastic bag to Aeris's apartment.

He had been watching for two days now, and still nothing had occurred.

Dark shifted uneasily on the branch, high up in a tree with a good clear view of Aeris's apartment.

The uneasy feeling that plagued him would not go away, even though everything was calm.

He could feel it, something was going to happen, he just didn't know what yet.

Riku smiled. "So he's going to ask her tonight?"

"Supposedly. He might get too nervous." Daisuke's voice was filled with amusement over the phone.

"Well I hope not, it's as bad for the guy as it is for the girl if he doesn't, remember?"

"You didn't help, looking at me like that." Daisuke said defensively.

Riku laughed.

Aeris rested against Satoshi on the sofa as the movie begun to play. His body was tense and stiff, and she shot him a quick glance when she was sure he wouldn't notice.

He'd been acting odd today, and she couldn't figure out why. When she asked Riku and Daisuke if they'd noticed it they just gave each other this knowing look and shook their heads.

"Aeris." Satoshi cleared his throat and tightened his grip around her waist. "Someone asked me something earlier today."

She turned her head away from the movie and faced him. "What did they ask?"

"What we are." He turned his face away so he was staring straight ahead. "And when I didn't know how to answer, I realized it was time to do something about it." Satoshi's hand gasped her own, but he continued to stare straight ahead. "I don't want anyone else Aeris."

On the screen people were dying in battle, screaming in agony but Aeris heard none of it. 'I don't want anyone else...' He turned to face her, his eyes showing how serious he was.

"Aeris I-"

"Aeris, I'm coming in!" Jin's voice was like a jolt, jerking Aeris's attention and making Satoshi's hands retract awfully fast.

Jin closed the door with a slam drowning out Satoshi's muttered curses. "Why is it so dark in here?"

"We were watching a movie uncle." Aeris knew her face must be flushed; she tried to steady her heartbeat.

Jin appeared in the doorway and eyed Satoshi's disgruntled expression, "Did I interrupt something?"

Satoshi's eyes flashed angrily, "Hell-"

"Uncle, what is it?" Aeris cut him off, pausing the movie with the remote.

As if he sensed what Satoshi had been planning he smirked. "I was coming by to invite you to dinner, Aeris, just the two of us." He obviously had no intention of letting Satoshi get his words in.

"Maybe tomorrow uncle, I've waited ages to see this movie." Aeris declined politely.

"You rented it didn't you, why not pause it and come out to eat?" Jin was obviously enjoying watching the looks that crossed Satoshi's face.

"This is the only day I really have time to watch it." Aeris explained.

"Well what movie is it? Maybe I'll join you."

Satoshi's hands clenched. "You wouldn't like it."

"How do you know?" Jin shot.

"Uncle. I'll see you tomorrow." Aeris said firmly, her tone ending the argument.

"All right, I'll see you then." Jin left, leaving the two alone again.

"I really hate that man." Satoshi grumbled and Aeris laughed quietly.

"You were saying?" She took his hand and squeezed it.

Dark frowned. Something Daisuke had said came back to him.

'Satoshi's going to ask her tonight, she'll say yes.'

Dark hated to lose, especially to someone like the commander.

But… she cared for the commander, more than she cared for him. It showed in her actions and on her face.

He stretched and got up. Misery did not become him. He would leave her to Satoshi.

The commander would watch over her now.

Hiwatari sat at his son's desk in his apartment. He always marveled at how little possessions his son had. There were no pictures on the walls or posters.

In fact the only sign that a teenage boy lived there, sat by his bed on his nightstand.

Aeris was frozen in time while walking and the wind had been blowing her hair to the east with cherry blossoms falling around her from the trees.

The picture was the only thing he seemed to possess. And Hiwatari bet Satoshi cherished it.

Before he made his leave, he left two policeman's ball tickets next to the picture.

Satoshi was a smart boy; he'd figure it out.

Satoshi looked into Aeris's bright eyes and realized he truly wanted nothing else and the words just tumbled out of his mouth.

"Your all that I want. I'll do anything to get you, and I'd do everything a thousand times over just to keep you. Aeris, your everything to me, please don't turn me away."

Aeris felt her heart flutter in her chest. "A-are you asking me-"

"To be mine."

In that very instant, Satoshi looked at her face and saw her expression, and thought he'd made the biggest mistake in his life.

Tears were glistening in her eyes and she looked like she was trying hard to think of an easy way to say no.

The truth was she was trying to find a way to even speak, but found that her throat had closed up. Finally she just nodded her head and threw herself on him causing a shocked Satoshi to tumble backwards onto the sofa with her on top.

"Yes?"

"Yes!" Aeris let out what sounded like a choke, a laugh, and a dry sob.

Satoshi felt an invisible hand let go of his heart, letting it beat normally and grinned like a maniac.

He wrapped his arms around her and put her on her feet and hauled himself up to his own before pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her again.

He dipped his head and caught her lips in a searing kiss.