Chapter 14: I Never Really Loved You Anyway

You bored me

With your stories

I can't believe

That I endured it for as long as I did

I'm happy

It's over

I'm only sorry that I didn't make

The move before you

And when you go I will remember

To send a thank you note to that girl

I see she's holding you so tender

Well I just want to say

I never really loved you anyway

No I didn't love you anyway

I never really loved you anyway

I'm so glad you're moving away

I Never Really Loved You Anyway – The Corrs

When Vincent and Aeris got back to Midgar it had gone eight at night. Aeris groaned.

"I'm supposed to be singing in less than half an hour!"

"We can make it if we run." Vincent said.

So they did. They ran all the way to Barret's Café. It was even more crowded than it had been on the last open mic night. Aeris pushed her way through to the table where Yuffie, Tifa and Cloud were sitting, with Vincent by her side.

"Aeris!" Cloud exclaimed, hugging her. She hugged each of them.

"Hey guys."

"We thought you weren't going to make it." Tifa said. Yuffie said,

"Watch out. There are reporters everywhere. They're doing an article on the Open Mic Night, but they weren't turn down the chance to talk to you."

Aeris felt a tap on the shoulder. She could tell by the looks on her friend's faces who it was. She turned around.

"Aeris, we need to talk." James said. Aeris looked at him stonily. The performer on the stage finished and applause rang through the café. Barret stepped up onto the stage.

"Our next performer should have been Aeris Gainsborough-"

"It's OK, I'm here!" Aeris called. She turned back to James.

"I've got something to say to you, but I need to do this first. Can I use your guitar?" She took it out of his hands and made way up onto the stage.

She tapped the microphone.

"Hi everyone. I didn't have time to prepare my own song so this is one by The Corrs. This is for you, James." Aeris said, looking out towards him, where he stood by the table. His eyes were fixed on her, a hopeful look on his face. She put her fingers on the guitar and started to sing. She had never sung like this, putting more hatred and anger into every single syllable.

"You bored me

With your stories

I can't believe

That I endured it for as long as I did

I'm happy it's over

I'm only sorry that I didn't make

That move before you

And when you go I will remember

To send a thank you note to that girl

I see she's holding you so tender

Well I want to have to say

I never really loved you anyway

No I didn't love you anyway

I never really loved you anyway

I'm so glad you're moving away

Valentino

I don't think so

You're watching MTV

While I lie dreaming in an empty bed

And come to think of it I was misled

My flat, my food, my everything

My thoughts inside my head

Before you go I must remember

To have a quiet word with that girl

Does she know you're not a spender?

Well I just have to say

I never really loved you anyway

No I didn't love you anyway

I never really loved you anyway

I'm so happy you're moving away

Yeah I am

Yeah I am

She could see his face falling and could hear the cheers of Yuffie, Cloud, Tifa and Barret. For the first time a smile spread across her face and she started enjoying herself.

And when you go I will remember

I must remember to say

I never really loved you anyway

No I didn't love you anyway

I never really loved you anyway

I never really loved you anyway

Never really loved you anyway

No I don't love you anyway

Never truly loved you anyway

I'm so happy you're moving away

Yeah I'm delighted you're moving

Away."

As the song died away, the applause started up, amazingly loud. Aeris smiled at the audience.

"Thanks everyone." She jumped off the front of the stage and made her way through to James. She pushed the guitar back into his hands.

"Go to hell, James." She told him, and then turned away. Vincent moved over to let her sit down at the table.

"Wow… way to make your debut, Aeris!" Tifa said. Aeris smiled and looked over her shoulder. James was gone. Yuffie poked her.

"That was amazing! I've never heard you sing like that!"

"Me neither. Boy, I'd hate for you to be mad at me like that!" Barret said, putting down cups on the table. Aeris smiled.

"I don't know what happened. I mean, I've been practising that song, but I didn't plan to sing it. I just saw him and I felt so angry for what he did to me and my parents."

"You were amazing." Vincent told her. Her smile increased in size. Then she remembered.

"Oh, yeah, guys, this is Vincent Valentine."

"We know. Well, we've never actually met him, but we know who he is." Cloud said. Aeris stretched.

"So… who feels like going for a walk?"

The five of them walked through the park. Tifa asked,

"How are your parents?"

"They're fine. They're going to talk to the press and I've said that I will too, when they do."

"Did you talk to them about everything?" Cloud asked. Aeris nodded, and looked at Vincent. He nodded and she said,

"Guys… I think we'd better sit down. There's something we need to tell you."

And they told them everything. Well, nearly everything. She didn't tell them about Eric Gainsborough being alive. When she finished, Tifa said in a shocked voice,

"That's… oh my god, Aeris, Vincent, I'm so sorry. So much happened to you guys."

"It's weird how fate brings people together." Yuffie said. Aeris looked at her.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, it's like you two were fated to meet again. Your parents worked together years ago, and were best friends, but then it fell apart. And now you've met again and brought it all out into the open. Tell me that's a coincidence."

Cloud laughed,

"You're weird, Yuffie. Believing in all that stuff."

"There might be something in it." Aeris pointed out. Cloud snorted.

"Come on, Aeris. Anyway, what are you going to do now?"

"Carry on here. Get through this damn concert for a start. And anything I face after that… well, I'll just cross that bridge when I get to it." Aeris replied. She looked at her watch. Tifa asked,

"Are you tired?"

"Yeah, kinda. I might go and relax for a while. I've got to write a new song for the concert."

"What happened to the other one?" Yuffie asked. Aeris looked at her.

"I tore it up and threw it away."

Yuffie thought about it and then realised why. She nodded.

Aeris stood up.

"I'll see you guys later."

"I'll walk back with you." Tifa said, standing up. She kissed Cloud goodnight. The others decided to go as well. Since Cloud and Yuffie were going in the same direction, they set off together. Aeris looked up at Vincent.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yes. Goodnight Aeris."

"Goodnight Vincent." She said.

Aeris and Tifa started their walk home. Tifa linked arms with Aeris.

"That was really cool, telling James where to go."

"It felt good, for a while. Oh god, Tifa… I loved him. And now I'm telling myself not to, because he's a jerk and I hate him, but I've got all these irritating feelings. And that song was a total lie. I DID love him." Aeris said, feeling ashamed

"But you're admitting it. And now you can start getting over it." Tifa stopped and grinned.

"You know what you need?"

"Nauseatingly unhealthy amounts of ice-cream?" Aeris asked.

"Absolutely. I stocked up this morning, just in case."

As they sat in their room, eating ice-cream straight from the tub, Tifa asked,

"So what's up with you and Vincent? You two seemed pretty cosy."

"Yeah… he came with me to see Mom and Dad. But I didn't know about the whole history until they told us."

"Are you going out?" Tifa asked.

"No…"

"Do you think you will?"

"I don't know. It's so weird. I can't really describe how I'm feeling about him right now. Anyway, how is it going with you and Cloud?"

"Pretty much the same as you left." Tifa laughed. She looked up at Aeris. "I just don't get why you and Cloud never went out. I mean he's cute, he's fun, he's a GREAT kisser…"

"Yes, I'm not disagreeing with that, except possibly the kissing thing. It'd just be like going out with my brother. We're too close to feel like that." Aeris said, eating some chocolate ice-cream. She looked at Tifa shrewdly.

"I don't know why you're complaining. After all, if I did have feelings for Cloud we'd be going out right now and you wouldn't have a boyfriend!"

"What? Maybe we'd be going out anyway!" Tifa objected. Aeris smirked.

"Maybe… or maybe not."

"Are you saying I couldn't get Cloud if I wanted to? Because I SO could!" Tifa said, throwing a pillow at her.

"Oh yeah?" Aeris said.

"Yeah!"

Within seconds they were hitting each other with pillows.

Hours later, Aeris rolled over in bed. She must have fallen asleep, because it was the middle of the night now. She sighed and glanced across at Tifa. She was curled up into a ball, a smile on her face as she slept. Aeris smiled and stared up at the ceiling.

Why was she so upset about James? At least now everybody thought she was over him. But she had shared so much with him, given herself to him and he had betrayed her. She really had thought that she loved him.

And then there was Vincent. Even as she thought of him her heart quickened. That had never happened with James. It was… weird. Not bad, just weird.

But how could she do this? Handle everything? It was all very well saying that she would just manage, but could she?

She could. If they all helped her. She'd be able to do it.

Especially if he helped.