Chapter 8: Too Lost in You

You look into my eyes

I go out of my mind

I can't see anything

Cause this loves

Got me blind

I can't help myself

I can't break the spell

I can't even try

I'm in over my head

You got under my skin

I've got no sense at all

In the state that I'm in

And my knees are weak

And my mouth can't speak

Fell too far this time

Baby I'm too lost in you

Caught in you

Lost in everything about you is so deep

I can't sleep

I can't think

I just think about the things that you do

I'm too lost in you

Too Lost In You – Sugababes

It was a beautiful autumn morning. The rust coloured leaves on the trees rustled gently as a light breeze blew through them. A couple tore away from the branches and spiralled gently to the ground, coming to rest on the already littered ground.

Aeris didn't see any of that. When she opened her eyes she saw a room. The room was chilly and she pulled the covers over her more tightly. Then she stopped. This wasn't her room.

"Good morning." Said a voice. She rolled over and saw James lying next to her. She smiled.

"Good morning."

"You OK?"

"Yeah." She said, stretching her arms. James looked around the room.

"It's kinda a mess. I meant to tidy it up, but I never have time."

"It's fine. What time is it?" James glanced at the clock.

"8:30. You got class?"

"Not until 11:00. What about you?"

"None today. Got to go see Shera for one-on-one though. But that's not until 12:30."

"Good. I mean… yeah…" James laughed at her and then kissed her. He pulled a dressing gown down from the cupboard and handed it to her.

"Want to go to Barret's for breakfast?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good."

"OK. Shower's through there if you want it."

"Shower would be good." Aeris suddenly looked embarrassed. James smiled uncertainly.

"Is everything OK?"

"Well… I don't have any clothes with me." She said, laughing in an embarrassed way. James smiled.

"That's OK."

He went to the wardrobe and looked inside. Aeris stepped up beside him. Hanging inside were several outfits.

"James, why do you have women's clothes?" She asked, slightly concerned. He looked worried.

"Oh! It's not what you're thinking. I have a couple of friends taking drama and they asked me to look after some costumes for them. As long as I get it back tonight, you can borrow one."

"Good… I don't want to find out I'm dating a cross dresser." Aeris said, heading for the bathroom. James said,

"So… we're dating?"

"After last night? We are most definitely dating!" Aeris laughed.

After a quick breakfast, Aeris headed back to her room and James went to town. When Aeris opened the door she saw Tifa and Yuffie inside. They both jumped up. Tifa looked excited.

"Where were you?" She demanded. Aeris smiled.

"Where do you think I was?" She said innocently. Tifa threw herself at Aeris and hugged her.

"I don't believe it! You were with James?"

"Yeah."

"Way to go girl! Two dates and you're already sleeping with him!" Yuffie congratulated her. Aeris laughed and threw her bag onto the bed.

Tifa sat down with her.

"So? What was it like? Tell us everything!"

"NOT everything. No diagrams or anything." Yuffie warned. Aeris smiled.

"It was good. It was really good."

"Is that it?" Tifa said, sounding disappointed. Aeris shrugged, still smiling.

"There are some things you can't describe." She said. Yuffie laughed.

"Good answer. Come on, let's go practise vocals."

"OK." Aeris said, following her out the room, Tifa in tow.

Shera was in the music room, tuning a guitar when they arrived. She smiled at them.

"Good morning."

"Hi Shera. Can we practise?"

"Go right ahead." She said, strumming the guitar quickly. Yuffie and Aeris began their warm-up and Tifa sat down to watch. Yuffie pressed a few keys and then said,

"What do you want to sing, Aeris?"

"I don't know… we finished Fly Me to the Moon." She told Shera. Shera leant on the piano, thinking.

"Well… how about you write one? A duet."

"We could do that." Aeris agreed. Yuffie clapped her hands.

"And then we can perform it at the concert!"

"I have a meeting, but catch me up in tomorrow's lesson." Shera said, putting on her coat.

Within an hour Aeris and Yuffie had jotted down some rough lyrics. Aeris glanced at her watch.

"Oh, I have to go. Literature class. I'll meet you at the café."

Cloud was already seated in the literature class. Aeris joined him and he smiled at her.

"Hello Gorgeous."

"Hi Cloud. How are you?"

"Good thanks. And I gather that you are too?"

She eyed him and he smiled.

"Tifa told me you didn't come home last night."

"Boy, word sure spreads here doesn't it?"

"It really does. So how is the concert coming along?"

"We've got the Auditorium, we've got the tickets and we've got rough programmes made up. All I need now is to find out when each person is performing and what they're doing. You're coming of course?"

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world. Even if a giant meteor was summoned and the planet was going to be destroyed, I would still be there."

"Giant meteor… You've got a really weird imagination."

"It's a gift." Cloud smiled.

A few days later, Aeris was sat in the café with her guitar. There were no other customers and Barret was working in the kitchen. Aeris was working on the song she and Yuffie were writing. She was trying to think of a name for it.

"Too much… um, you too… too lost in you…" she muttered to herself, scribbling out ideas. She plucked the strings of her guitar, singing quietly then paused.

"Aeris."

She looked up. Vincent had come in. She smiled.

"Hi Vincent. How are you?"

"Well enough."

"Do you want to sit down?" She asked, gesturing to the seat opposite her. He sat down and glanced at the lyrics.

"Something for the concert. Yuffie Kisaragi and I are doing a duet. And I still have to decide what to do by myself." She said, feeling exhausted.

"I saw you at the open mic note." He said. She smiled.

"I can't play for lots of people like that. It's scary."

"You were better than any of the others who preformed that night."

"No… I could see a lot who were much better. James for one." She said. She didn't notice his face darken.

"You are going out with James Winters?"

"Yeah… he's disgustingly talented. Like you, but in music, not art. Have you done any new pictures?"

"No… I've been working on a piece, but it's not finished."

"Well, I'd love to see it when you've finished."

"Maybe you will… Aeris, I don't think-"

The door opened and James came in. Aeris waved to him and he sat down. He looked at Vincent.

"Hey."

Vincent nodded slightly. James kissed Aeris and said,

"Bernadette wants to meet you for some concert organising."

"Again? We were just talking this morning… fine, I'll see her later. Vincent, can I count on you to come to the concert?"

"You can. Excuse me." He got up and left. James pulled a face.

"Creepy bloke."

"Don't. Vincent's… well, he's a fascinating person."

"Medically, maybe."

"Hey, stop it! Don't be so horrible."

"Sorry… hey, check me out. I'm a jealous boyfriend!"

"Sweetie, that's not a good thing." Aeris told him. James shrugged.

"How do you know him, anyway?"

"Oh, apparently his father worked with my parents on an experiment. I don't know who, my parents work with lots of people." Aeris said, putting her guitar in its case. She straightened and looked at him.

"I have some bad news."

"What is it?" James said, looking worried. Aeris bit her lip.

"You're not going to like it."

"Not until you tell me what it is. Come on, I can take it."

"I'm not sure you can. Are you busy on Sunday?"

"Not as far as I know. Why?"

"Brace yourself!"

"Aeris, just tell me what the hell is wrong!"

"…My parents want to meet you."

James stared at her and then started to laugh,

"You got me all worked up for that?"

"You're OK with it?"

"Well, yeah. Your parents can't be that bad."

Aeris cast her mind back to the state Nanaki had been in and grinned.

"Yeah. It'll be fine."

Sunday arrived, crisp and clear. Aeris and James stood outside her front door. James was looking decidedly more nervous.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

"You're telling me this? Well, come on. They'll be waiting for us."

She put her key in the front door and opened it.

"Mom? Dad? We're here."

Matthew Gast appeared from the door leading down to the cellar, which was his study/laboratory. He smiled. Aeris almost laughed. He was still wearing his laboratory goggles on his head.

"Hello Aeris." He said, hugging her. He shook hands with James.

"James? It's good to meet you."

"You too, sir."

"Don't call me sir. I hate that. It's Matthew. Your mother ran out for something for dinner."

"Mom cooked? What did we do to deserve that?" Aeris protested. Matthew laughed.

"Hey, she's been working very hard on dinner. Don't complain about it. I still live here and I'm the one who will have to put up with her."

"Mom is a brilliant scientist, but when it comes to cooking… well, try not to swallow." Aeris said. James looked even more scared than before.

The front door opened and Infalna walked in, carrying shopping bags.

"Aeris, darling! Hold on, let me put these down." She pushed through into the kitchen and dumped the bags. Then she turned and looked James up and down.

"You're James?"

"Yes, Mrs Gast."

"Hmm. Well done Aeris. Anyway, James, why don't you and Matthew go and keep yourselves busy while Aeris helps me with dinner?"

Before either of them could say a word, Infalna had dragged her into the kitchen.

"Nice one, Aeris. He's lovely."

"Thanks Mom… I think. So, what did you make?"

"Lasagne. Well, actually…" She looked around guiltily. "I bought a frozen one. Do you think anyone will notice?"

"No." Aeris said, in deep relief. "Come on, let's do some salads."

After dinner, they sat in the garden. James patted his stomach.

"That was amazing…Aeris, get your mom to teach you how to cook."

"I can cook perfectly well!" Aeris retorted. Infalna laughed and stood up.

"I'll make some coffee." James and Matthew launched into a conversation about Matthew's previous scientific works.

Aeris watched James, a tiny smile on her face. She dug into her bag and pulled out her lyrics book. Just the sight of him talking, laughing, listening made her want to write music. He looked at her and as their eyes met she felt a tiny thrill go through her.

She started to write down lyrics.